They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale
by CatWriter
Summary: AU: Twinfic, Harry, his twin Larry and his whole family survived. Harry!good, Remus!good, Dark!Dumbles. Evil plans are afoot. Voldie is still around too. Don't look for this to mirror the books much. Child Abuse. Violence. Slash. updates soon. July 08
1. Chapter 1:The Boy Who Lived

**They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale**

**Chapter 1: The Boy-Who-Lived**

(**A/N**: This story will have violence and child abuse, be prepared, and maybe slash, I'm still undecided at this point.)

The universe is a vast place where time and space are not as we always believe, fiction is right, there are other dimensions, where other possibilities play out. This story takes place in one of those dimensions. We know in this universe that the boy-who-lived was the sole survivor of his family with the possible exception of the Dursleys, but then who in their right mind would call them family? We enter now an alternate universe where the outcome of that long ago night was not how it was recorded in our universe.

**_October 31st: Halloween Night_**

"James, I'm worried about **him**, finding us. I don't think it was so wise to make Peter our secret keeper, I mean really James his ani-magus form is a rat, that has to say something about his character." Said Lily as she put Harry and twin brother Larry in their crib for the night. Both twins had their father's messy black hair, but Harry had his mother's brilliant near otherworldly green eyes, and her nose; Larry had his father's hazels eyes and his nose.

"Hon, it's fine, we've been friends with Peter for a decade, I would trust him with my life." James said smiling.

"Yes, but the problem is I wouldn't. I never liked Peter; you know that, he was always seemed so… shifty to me." Said Lily as she and James walked downstairs to the living room.

"Fine if makes you feel better we'll contact Dumbledore tomorrow about getting another secret keeper. It's a bit of bother to alter secret keepers at this point but if it makes you happy, then that's all that matters to me." Said James as he walked up this wife, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him and kissed with passion and abandon.

Suddenly a loud blast blew the front door off its hinges. A tall man in black robes with glowing red eyes entered followed for several other men in black rooms with white masks over their face.

James went for his wand, which was in his hip holster… "Petrificus Totalus Maxis." James was hit by the spell and instantly frozen in position. The words were yelled again and Lily was equally frozen. Both their heart raced this was it; they and their children were going to die.

"Well, well, well look who we have here, the Potters. You who have defied thrice as a certain prophecy said." Said the red-eyed man. "You will pay for your insolence. You will watch as I kill your children. Mobilium Corpus." With that both Lily and James floated directly in front of the Dark Lord as he was lead to the children room by none of other than a smiling Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew.

"Nothing personal, Lily, James, I either told him or I would be dead, besides he's promised me power like I've never dreamt of before, so you see, in denying him there was only death for me, in giving him what he wants there is power. See, I had to do it." Said Peter as he pointed to the children's room. Lily and James listened hatred like nothing either of them had ever thought themselves possible boiled in their hearts, if only they were free, the world would have one less rat in it.

"Ah, there they are two little cherubs, sleeping in innocence in their crib." Said the Dark Lord in mocking sweet tone. "A shame they are about to die, they really are cute, but I'm not about cute, now am I. Who to kill first, so many to die, so little time." Voldemort joked.

Peter got a little clumsy and not a lamp off the side table the crash woke both the boys. They both yawned and looked around. The green-eyed boy spotted his mother, "Mummy?"

His twin the hazel-eyed boy spotted his father, "Dada?"

Lily and James heart broke their two beautiful little boys were about to die right in front of them and they literally couldn't move a muscle to help them.

"Well, who dies first green eyes or hazel? Any preference Wormtail?" Asked Voldemort.

"Well, the green-eyed one never liked me, he always cried when I tried to pick him up."

_Harry just probably saw you for what you were, like I did,_ thought Lily

_I can't believe it, Peter totally betrayed us, and I trusted him. Lily was right. Why didn't I listen to her in the beginning? Lils, please forgive me for being blind, _thought James.

"Well, then for you Peter the green-eyed boy dies first." Voldemort leveled his wand at Harry's head and yelled, "Avada Kedavra." The spell shot out of his wand tip as a brilliant green ball of light it Harry on the forehead then rebound back to a shocked Dark Lord, he didn't even had time to scream. There was a blast and half the room came crashing down. Voldemort lay dead, his screaming soul circled the room then disappeared into the night. James and Lily were free from his spell. Lily was knocked unconscious by some falling debris from the ceiling. James grabbed his wand, which was still in the holster and fired "Stupefy!" at a dazed Peter before he could change into a rat. James then performed two other spells on the rat that would keep him in human form for 24 hours; he figured that would be more than enough time to get him to the ministry. James then searched through the rubble for his wife as the Aurors arrived, an alarm went off in Dumbledore's office and he notified the six Aurors who were given the address by Peter in the event of emergency. James was just checking Lily when Moody and Shacklebolt arrived, they took into custody four death eaters in addition to Peter Pettigrew who was sporting a fresh dark mark on his arm.

"Damn that boy, damn Harry to hell, I'll get him for this. I nearly had power, I could have been someone other than the stupid friggin weak Marauder. You hear me James, I'll get my revenge on that brat, he should have died like was supposed to." Screamed Peter as he dragged away by the Auror.

"He barking, positively barking." Said Shacklebolt. "He'll not get anywhere near your boy. He's heading to Azkaban, that one. He'll be lucky to get a trial."

Lily finally awoke. "HARRY! LARRY!" James rushed through the debris and over to where the crib was, he found Larry who had a cut on his shoulder where the neck and shoulder meet. Lily found Harry a few feet away he had a lightning bolt shaped cut on his forehead and was unconscious. "We have to get them to Poppy. Quickly!" Said Lily.

Shacklebolt gave them a old book, it was a portkey, especially created by Dumbledore to get passed the wards of Hogwarts and take the family straight into the hospital wing. "Just say the password, HELP."

Lily and James took the portkey, and together they said, "HELP!" They felt a familiar tug behind their navels and then after a few seconds found themselves, standing in the hospital wing of Hogwarts. "POPPY!" screamed Lily.

Poppy came rushing into the room, "What happened?"

"We were attacked by Voldemort, he's dead." Said James.

"What?" Said Dumbledore as he entered the hospital wing.

"Voldemort is dead, it was Harry, I saw it with my own two eyes. His body is still at Godric's Hollow."

Poppy took Larry and Lily put Harry onseparate hospital beds. Larry was put on the bed next to Harry's. Poppy recited a scanning spell and scanned Larry. "Hmm, nothing but a small cut on his neck, it should heal fine but there will be some scarring."

Then she ran the same spell over Harry. "Hmm, there is magic radiating from the cut, powerful too but it's already healing on its own. I think a little pain-killing potion, and he should be fine as well. There is a little trace of dark magic in the cut but it's like it been cordoned off, it's slowing be destroyed by the boy's own innate magic. I've never seen such at thing before in my life. There will be a scar though, his body is getting rid of most of the curse but there is still some residual that will always remain, such is the way of magic light and dark." Said Poppy she saw the wound close and scar right before her eyes without her having given him a potion yet. "Remarkable."

"James, you said Voldemort is dead?" Said Dumbledore.

"Yes, he fired the killing curse at Harry. The sick bastard petrified Lily and me to make us watch him kill our children before he would kill us. He even gave Peter the choice of which twin to kill first, Peter chose Harry because Harry never liked him. My Harry and Lily both never liked him, I'm sorry I didn't listen my wife." Said James as Lily walked up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Your forgiven, but next time LISTEN SOONER!" she then kissed him and took a seat between her two boys' beds.

"You were saying…" said Dumbledore getting a little impatient.

"Right, well Peter chose Harry. Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry's head and said the killing curse, the curse hit Harry, then bounced up and hit Voldemort. There was some sort of explosion because the ceiling caved in, then I and Lily were freed from the Petrificus curse, Wormtail was dazed so I caught him, and then I got to Lily, she woke up then Auror arrived and then we got the twins, Shacklebolt gave us a portkey here and there you have it."

"Did anything strange happen?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Yea, when the curse hit Voldemort and the dust settled I saw what I would call his ghost or his soul circling the room screaming then it flew off into the night." Said James. James suddenly deflated like a balloon, all the energy of the nights events were wearing off. Dumbledore looked at him and then at Lily who was looking equally tired as Poppy checked her over.

"Lily you need to be in a bed for observation you were unconscious for a while, so I need to monitor you for the night. James you too, you look like you use the rest. And don't worry either of you, you will be right here if either of the boys need you, tomorrow you can figure out what to do next, got it?" Said Poppy in a tone not to be argued with.

Poppy gave each child a sip of a mild sleeping draught, and gave James and Lily the Dreamless Sleep Draughts. Soon the family was sleeping sounds.

Albus Dumbledore sat in the seat vacated by Lily, as she got into her on hospital bed barely able to keep her eyes open. Word of the defeat of Voldemort spread from the aurors across Britain faster than anyone could have possibly imagine. The Daily Prophet had a special edition out in two hours, all over Britain people were celebrating. While one old man thought,

"So, Harry defeated Voldemort. Hmmm." Said Dumbledore. He relaxed and let his vision slide soon he was seeing the auras of everyone in the room. He looked atJames, above average in power but not really special, then he looked at Lilly, same as James above average but not really special. Then he looked at Larry, the boy was just barely above a squib, but that could change by the time he gets his Hogwarts letter. Then he looked at Harry. His aura was nearly blinding, so powerful and pure. He was to do more than the to defeat Voldemort, his destiny was to bring a new age to wizarding world, the bit of the prophecy he let be known to the Potters and even to Snape was not the full story, no. The child that defeated the dark lord would be able to bring about a new golden age or an age of darkness like the world has never seen. Dumbledore coveted Harry's power; he had to control the boy. He was the leader of the light after all he knew what was right, he already lead the good of the wizarding world but after the defeat of Voldemort, when he returns he could lead the world, magical and muggle, for that was part of Harry's destiny to unite the earth magical and muggle into one world. With Harry power he could have immortality, and eternal youth, he could rule the world with the boy at his side. But first he needed a plan to control the Potters and to make Harry rely on him.

--------------------End of Chapter 1-----------------------

(**A/N: **Okay here is my first TWIN fic, the other is a sibling fic, so I hope you can tell the difference. Notice the other difference is the boy-who-lived, and he will not be an ass, fame will not go to his head. He is truly…. ah almost gave it away now didn't I. read and find out what he is. Read and review, and doing this plot with a couple of twists, read and review and let me know if you likey. Remember: Story Alert and Author Alert are your friends on FFNET so use them to get the latest update on my stories. I hope you enjoy, and have a happy read.)

**Next Time:** Chapter 2: The Boy-Who-Lived-to-Regret-it. Catcha next time and don't forget to check out my other stories.

Catwriter


	2. Chapter 2: BWL to Regret It

**They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale**

**Chapter 2: The Boy-Who-Lived-to-Regret-It**

**November 1st**

_**2 a.m.**_

Dumbledore had stayed up half the night trying to think of a way to have Harry to himself, to have Harry and his power to himself. _Oh, it would be great, I could fix all the problems of the world with his power at my disposal, he and I can remake the world as I see fit, _thought Dumbledore. Then the idea came to him, a very ancient spell, so old most people didn't know of its existence. Yes, a spell of hatred the spell would have to renewed annually but still, that should be an easy enough task. Yes, the spell of Malficence, it was a dark arts spell to say the least, Grindelwald was the last practitioner of the spell he used it to cause the first and second world wars. It was only written about in three books in the world, one was lost 25 years ago, Dumbledore himself had one in his personal collection and the last was simply in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library, no one ever used the book it was written in a language most ancient and couldn't be read by most people today, the only thing in the book that could be read actually was the Spell of Malficence but unless you knew of the spell and that it was in that book no one would ever find it if they did find it they wouldn't know what the spell did because that part of the spell was in the ancient language only the spell itself was readable. Dumbledore knew the spell inside out, he didn't need the book to perform the spell, the only real problem was power. He would have the cast the spell at six time maybe more and the spell was draining still to have his dreams come true, he needed the boy and so he would just hope he did notexpend too much magic.

Dumbledore got up and went to James Potter, he was asleep under the Dreamless Sleep Draught he would not wake, neither would Lily or the boys, so this was the perfect time to perform the spell but first he would have to take care of Poppy. Dumbledore went to Poppy's office door, and quietly opened it; he aimed his wand at the busy medi-witch who was filling out paper work on the Potter Family. Dumbledore quietly muttered the word, "Dormos." The medi-witch fell over asleep at her desk. Dumbledore then went to the hospital wing doors and put several locking charms on it, and a privacy spell to keep anyone from looking in or hearing anything of what was going on in the room. Yes, the old man was proud of himself, he figured he had thought of everything.

Dumbledore made his way over to the sleeping form of James Potter, he pointed his wand at the man and said, "Malficience ninos Harry," three times, then a dark red curse shot out of the type of his wand and sank down in James' chest. James winced a little but kept on sleeping. Dumbledore moved on to Lily and performed the exact same spell; she too winced when the spell sank down in her chest. Then he moved on to Larry, "Malficience fraternas Harry" he said three times and again a red curse shot out the tip of his wand and sank down in the boys chest, he winced in pain. The spell had never been used on a child so young as 15 months. Then Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Oh, how I wish I could use this spell on you to make you hate them but I can see your power would over come the spell quickly and then you sense it in the others and cure them of it as well. No, I have other plans for you, precious." Said Dumbledore as he headed for the door. As he reached the door he noticed Sirius was on the other side about to knock. Perfect he thought. He opened the door and checked to see if anyone else was with him.

"Albus are they alright? I've never been so scared, are the children alright, Lily, James, please Albus, tell me, no one seems to know anything other than they all came here." Said a desperate Sirius Black.

"Yes, my boy, come in here." Dumbledore stepped aside and let Sirius enter the room ahead of him, and then when Black's back was to him, he fired the Dormos spell. Sirius fell to the floor in heap. Dumbledore levitated Sirius to the seat between the boys' beds that he occupied after Lily then he cast the Malficience spell on Sirius. He propped Sirius in the chair like he had fallen asleep there and left the room. _My only real problem is that damn werewolf, the wolf spirit would devour the spell almost as soon as it is put on him. I'll just have to keep him away from the family as much as possible, he'll get every job I can think of that will keep him away from the family. Yes, that'll work,_ Dumbledore thought.

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The next day Lily and James woke about 10 a.m. Madam Pomphrey had awoken an hour earlier and had checked on her charges before going to file a report with the ministry. James and Lily upon awakening instantly went to Larry to check to see if he was okay, they glared at Harry; he was still sleeping. Larry awoke at the same time as his parents and he too, glared at Harry.

"I'm so glad you are alright, both of you, Lily and Larry. This was all Harry's fault." Said James with edge to his voice that was not there before. "You-Know-Who only came after us because of Harry. I'm just glad we survived."

"You're right if it wasn't for Harry we would never have been targeted by **him**," said Lily in agreement with James.

"No, Like Harry." Said Larry with a frown on his face.

"I know dear, neither do we." Said Lily as she hugged her son closer.

Harry slept on as the growing hatred in his family's hearts to root. A short timelater Madam Pomphrey arrived back in the room, Sirius had awakened by now as well, and he was not liking Harry any more than the Potters did. Poppy checked over the other three family members and said they were released, she then checked over Harry and found that he still need at least another day to heal. They said it was fine to keep him, and headed to the door.

"Oh, Professor Dumbledore has requested that you all, meet him in his office as soon as you are released. The password is 'blood pops.'" Said Poppy as she gave Harry another scan.

The Potters and Black left and headed to Dumbledore office. When they reached the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore conjured an extra seat for Sirius. "Lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered the group.

"No, thank you Dumbledore." They all said in turn, except for Larry who popped one in his mouth frowned for a moment and smiled.

"Well, I've talked the ministry and they had a speedy trial for Pettigrew, he got life in Azkaban for his part in last night attack, as did the other death eaters with him."

"Well, that's good to hear, a traitor like that deserves nothing less, hell he should be kissed for his crimes." Said an outraged Sirius.

"Good," Said James "Good riddance to bad rubbish. I made a mistake in getting him in the Marauders in the first place. I thought that if he had just a couple of good friends he would be alright in the end, but really he should have been placed in Slytherin from the start." Said James with Lily and Sirius nodding in agreement.

"Speaking of placement, I would like to talk you about your son." Said Dumbledore.

"What about Larry, Poppy said everything was fine." Said Lily who was getting nervous, clutching her son closer to her.

"No, I mean Harry." Said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. Fawkes the phoenix saw the twinkle and he knew that over the course of this long drawn out war, his partner had been changing. He was not the good-hearted wizard he met 130 years ago. Phoenixes are very intelligent birds, with human-like intelligence provided the bird lived to be over 150 years old, they only lacked speech though they could communicate with their partners in other ways. Over the course of this war, Fawkes communicated with Dumbledore less and less, Dumbledore still spoke to Fawkes, but he didn't realize the bird was no longer really communicating with him anymore. Fawkes watched this conversation he felt that this would be a deal breaker, but he hoped he was wrong. Phoenixes are creatures of light and cannot abide darkness of the spirit. Fawkes had noticed the darkness nipping at the edges of Dumbledore spirit but hoped that the old man would realize it and save himself; but every day that passed it seemed less and less likely. Fawkes tried phoenix song in the beginning to help Dumbledore to remain in the light and it worked for three years, but as the war dragged on the song stopped working. If Dumbledore was to be saved he would have to save himself, no one else could.

"What about Harry?" Said James.

"Well, I think that some of the death eaters will be wanting revenge for the defeat of their leader and so you will not be safe with Harry near you. Nor will he be safe, I propose to place him somewhere else until it's time for him to come to Hogwarts, I know ten years is a long…"

"Okay with me, how about you James." Said Lily, she was not wanting to bring Harry home anyway.

"Fine with me. Take him now, he doesn't need to come home at all." Said James.

"Sirius, any objections?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, I want to be Larry's godfather instead of Harry's." Said Sirius. "Let Lupin be Harry's godfather."

"Well, it's against the law for werewolves to be a parent or godparent, but I think that in light of defeating the dark lord the ministry could be persuaded this once, to make an exception. Just don't advertise it." Said Dumbledore his eyes twinkling. _Perfect with Lupin as godfather, I can keep him busy recruiting werewolves to the light and away from Harry, very easily, with Sirius there was always the chance that he could get out of the spell long enough to get Harry and as his godfather he could get custody, Lupin will just never have a chance to be with his godson. This will be perfect. _

"Well, now that that's all settled, I'm afraid I won't be able to tell any of you where Harry will be, it is for his safety and yours. I will bring him back the summer before he starts at Hogwarts that you can all get re-acquainted, if that's alright?" He said as innocently as he could. Fawkes glared, something was not right here.

"Whatever, we should get going now. We have a house to put back together, and some celebrating to do." Said James.

"Have good day headmaster." said Lily and went to stand by the fireplace.

"Yes, Albus have a good day, no more dark lord!" said James with a smile.

"Let's throw at party at your place." Said Sirius. "I've got the blasted painting of my mother at mine, and her screeching could ruin Mardi Gras in New Orleans."

They all flooed to Potter Hall, they decided to leave Godric's Hollow for another day; they felthappy, free and safe for the first time in what felt like forever. Meanwhile a little boy who was being heralded as the 'hero of the wizarding world' slept uneasily in the hospital wing dreaming of a bad man with glowing red-eyes and bright green lights.

---------------------------------

"Fawkes, my old friend, it's going perfect." Said Dumbledore. Fawkes looked at him like he was new.

"Fawkes, I will place the boy with his mother's sister. She hates all thing magical, and Harry being the most magical person on the planet will not have an easy time of it with her and her husband. Many is the times that I have heard Lily talk about her sister and her hatred of all things magic. She and her husband will most likely abuse the child, but that's okay, see when I come to get him for his first year of Hogwarts, I will be a hero to him, his savior and he will love me for it. He will, of course, hate his parents for abandoning him, but I will be the hero who saved him, and then I will begin to train him for Voldemort's return. When Voldemort does return, Harry will be a warrior of the light, and completely loyal to me, he will do whatever I tell him, he will make me immortal and young again, then my friend he and I shall remake the world. Oh it will be glorious, don't you think?" Dumbledore smiled his eyes twinkling madly.

Fawkes let out a great ear-piercing note, it was filled with sadness and pain, he had lost Dumbledore, maybe the old man could save himself someday, but Fawkes would not be there for that day. The note lasted fully a minute; Dumbledore held his ears but still they bled. Then Fawkes disappeared in a flash of fire. Dumbledore felt a pain in his chest, warmth that had been in his heart since the day Fawkes had bonded with him was gone. He felt cold inside, and alone for the first time in 130 years. Still, the plan must go through the loss of the phoenix is a small price to pay for immortality, eternal youth, and a chance to make the world as he saw fit. He wrote a letter to ministry requesting Remus J. Lupin be given the position of godfather to Harrison James Donatello Potter, and Sirius Black be made godfather to Lawrence Raphael Potter. He smiled at the children names, Lily and her love of muggle cartoon shows, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, indeed.

---------------------------------

Fawkes appeared in a fiery flash in the hospital wing, he flew over to Harry and cried a tear into the sleep child's open mouth. Fawkes then nipped his own foot with his beak and let three drops of his blood fall into the child's mouth. Then the bird nipped the boy's earlobe he licked the blood three time times then cried a tear to heal the wound. He sang a soft sweet song for the boy in his unconscious state Harry thought he heard someone say, "I'll be back someday for you my friend, I am a part of you now, and you are a part of me. You will never be completely alone. We will meet again." Harry felt warmth in his heart that wasn't there before, and Fawkes to his surprise felt warmth that wasn't in his heart before either, this told him that he made right decision in leaving Dumbledore for Harry. The boy is truly of the light, as much as a phoenix is at the very least. Fawkes thought, 'maybe Dumbledore was just whom I was supposed to be with until young Harry came.'The bird thought he would have to think on this more then disappeared in a flash of fire.

Harry awoke about 1 p.m. in the afternoon. He was alone in the hospital wing; he looked around and was scared but thought he should wait for someone to come. After a few minutes Madam Pomphrey came into the room. "Ah, Harry, how are you?" Said to the one year old. He looked at her, "Fine, where's Mummy and Daddy?" he asked. Harry was a very intelligent child he was speaking his first word at four months and his first sentence at six months. Now at one he could practically hold intelligent conversations.

"Hmm, I'm not sure dear, let me have a look for them, okay?"

Harry nodded.

Poppy went up and down the hall looking for some sign of the Potters or Black when Dumbledore came walking down the hall. "Ah, Headmaster, have you seen the Potters anywhere, young Harry is awake and he's looking for his parents."

"Yes, I'll handle this Poppy, the Potters have gone home. Harry will not being back to Potter Hall. I have made other arrangements for him. It is for the best, there are death eaters out there, that would kill the child and his family for revenge, plus Voldemort maybe defeated but it is not the final defeat, I'm sorry to say. Harry must be protected so I'm putting him somewhere, where he'll be safe. It'll be the best thing for him." Said Dumbledore sagely.

"What about the Potters? Won't they be able to visit him?" Asked Poppy.

"No, I'm afraid not, they could be followed, their movement tracked and traced. For the boy's safety and that of his family they can't know where he is. But not to worry, he will be well taken care of." Said Dumbledore with his twinkling, he entered the hospital wing.

"Ah Harry, it's good to see you again, my boy." Said Dumbledore.

"Where's Mummy and Daddy?" asked Harry.

"They didn't survive last night." Said Dumbledore.

"Where Mummy and Daddy and Larry, I saw them earlier." Insisted Harry.

"Oh, well." said Dumbledore who took out his wand, he pointed at Harry, the child started to shake, the man with red-eyes pointed his stick at Harry, and he felt a lot of pain.

"Don't worry, son this won't hurt, OBLIVIATE!" And with that Harry's memories of the night before were buried deep in his mind, but not erased as the Headmaster intended. "Dormos," Harry fell back to sleep. "Poppy!"

Poppy entered the room, "what happened?"

"He got upset about leaving his parents so I put him into a harmless sleep, with Dormos. I'll be taking him to his new home late tonight when there are less likely to be witnesses, so have him ready to go about 11:30 p.m."

"Yes, Headmaster."

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Number Four Privet Drive 

A cat with spectacle markings has sat on a fence all day and all night, the cat had not moved but just watched the house at number four Privet Drive. The cat did not like what it saw. It watched a bony horse-faced woman try and take care of an obese toddler, that did nothing but complain and demand chocolate all day. It watched a fat man over-indulge at meals and over look every wrong of his child. They were the worse sorts of people.

Soon Albus Dumbledore was standing next to the cat that was sitting on the stone fence. "Hello Professor, how long have you been here?" Asked Dumbledore of the Cat.

"All day and all night, is it true, is he really gone?" Asked Professor McGonagall after transforming back into a woman.

"Yes, for now he is gone, too weak to carry on, a disembodied spirit out there in the world waiting for a time when he can return." Said Dumbledore.

"Are the Potters?" Said McGonagall, afraid of the answer.

"They are all fine, they are at Potter Hall celebrating as we speak."

"Then why are you here with young Harry, that is him you're holding is it not?" Asked McGonagall.

"Yes, it is young Harry Potter, but he will not being going back to Potter Hall for many years. He will be staying with his Aunt, Uncle and cousin; it's the safest place for him. Voldemort maybe defeated for now but there are a lot of death eaters out there that will want revenge for their master, the Potters and most of all young Harry wouldn't be safe." He said sadly, his eyes twinkling almost merrily.

"But Albus, these people are the worst sort, their son is a nightmare, the wife does nothing but gossip and brag about his obese son and fat husband, he's a fool if ever I saw one, they won't understand him, and they'll more than likely hate him. Albus, there must be someplace better than this?" Pleaded McGonagall.

"This literally the last place anyone would look for him. I'm putting the house under the fidelus charm, and you will be the secret keeper no one would expect you to be the secret keeper. I'm also putting up anti apparition wards, and protection wards around the house, no one of magic will be able to get to the boy while he is within the property of the house and of the local school. He'll be safe." _From everyone but the family he's living with, which is perfect because then he'll be mine, when I come and get him a few years,_ thought Dumbledore.

"But Albus…" McGonagall began.

"No, buts, I've written them a letter, and they will take the boy in. He'll be alright, if you want to say goodbye to him, now would be the time, once I put him on the doorstep the ward will activate one minute later and then you won't be able to get this near him again for ten years." Said Dumbledore as he handed the sleeping child to McGonagall.

"Ah, little one, I pray that we are doing the right thing for you." McGonagall looked at him in the light of her wand. "Albus, his face…" she said.

"Yes, I noticed that as well, Lily or James must have some…"

"But Albus they haven't been seen in a thousand years." Said McGonagall.

"I know since the time of the founders at the very least. I'm going to put a glamour spell on him. I think fighting the killing curse my have activated some dormant genes and that's why he looks the way he does, and it would help explain some other things about him as well." Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

"He's so beautiful though, too beautiful really. I can see why you want to put a glamour on him; his beauty would raise questions." Said McGonagall.

Albus waved his wand over Harry and then his face looked the way it did before the attack. "That glamour should change as he grows and it should hold at least until he gets to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore took Harry, and placed him on the doorstep with a letter he wrote earlier in the day. He and McGonagall apperated out and the wards went up. Now no one of the wizarding world could get near the house.

------------------------------

The night of November first had been a full moon and Remus Lupin had not had a chance to check on his friends. The morning of November second, Lupin was lying in his bed, recovering from his transformation when an owl started tapping at his window. He tiredly and painfully dragged himself to the window and took the letter from the owl, which immediately flew away after its delivery was done. Remus looked at the letter it was from the ministry.

_Dear Mr. Lupin,_

_The request of your friends Lily and James Potter, and Professor Dumbledore has been **approved**; we do ask that you do not advertise the fact that you are now Harry Potter's legal godfather. This is a one-time exception being made for you, because of Mr. Harry Potter's invaluable service in ridding the world of You-Know-Who. Enclosed please find a certificate verifying that you are indeed the godfather of Harry Potter, it is, of course suitable for framing._

_You are the first werewolf in 150 years to achieve godfather status. Please note that you will have to have your home inspected to be sure that there is an adequate and safe place for your transformations that you can not escape from if the child is with you due to the loss of his parents. Your home will be inspected annually to be sure that it meets up with our strict code, if your situation proves that you can handle taking care of young Mr. Potter, your case may well be used as an example for changes in the law that would allow other werewolves to be godfathers or even allowed to adopt children someday, so please, do not mess up this opportunity._

_Sincerely,_

_Prime Minister,_

_Donald Barkley_

Lupin couldn't believe what he was reading. His hand shook as he looked at the certificate. He read both through eight times and each time they read exactly the same. He was Harry's godfather. Harry was his cub. He had an official cub. The wolf inside of him howled and so did the man. As far as he was concerned he had a son, godson or no, Harry was his son in his heart, and the wolf in him adopted the boy as his own cub. The normally calm man ran around his loft not sure what he wanted to do first, his aches from the transformation gone. All he knew is that he wanted to thank his friends and see his cub. He got dressed in record time and went to the fireplace got a pinch of floo powder and yelled, "Prong's Hall!" Lupin stepped into the flames and was whisked over to his friend's home.

"Hello, is anyone here." Remus called as he stepped out of the huge fireplace in the sitting room off the foyer.

"Remus, honey, hello how are you?" Said Lily brightly as she walked in the room. She walked up and hugged Remus warmly.

"How am I! I'm GREAT. The ministry sent me a letter this morning, it said that I'm now Harry's legal godfather!" Remus almost sang it.

"Yes, I know. We got the owl for Sirius a little while ago, he's the godfather for Larry."

"Thank you Lils," said Remus as he hugged Lily and spun her around the room and they danced, even though no music was playing, then Remus noticed no music was playing he waved his wand and lively band music played, and he danced with Lily as James and Sirius came into the room.

"Hey, who having the party without inviting me." Said Sirius as he walked in on Remus and Lily dancing.

"Hey I wasn't invited and its my house and my wife." Stated James.

"Boys, boys you will get your turn." Said Remus. He released Lily and started dancing with Sirius.

"Still celebrating the defeat of the Voldemort are you Lupin?" James guessed as he started dancing with Lily.

"Well, yea, that too, but I'm mainly dancing because I'm a legal godfather to your great and wonderful son, my new cub Harry Potter!" Said Remus as he then did a really deep dip with Sirius. Sirius loss his balance and fell flat on his back on the floor. James, Lily and Remus laughed, while Sirius remained on the floor looking up at all three of them glaring.

"Well, it's behavior like this that is why you won't see your godson for ten years." Said Sirius as he got up.

Remus offered him a hand and pulled him up. "What do you mean ten years? Harry defeated Voldemort, isn't he here with you?"

"No, he's not," said James seriously. "Dumbledore said that death eaters would still be after him for revenge so he put Harry in hiding somewhere safe, he said that whole family didn't need to go just Harry since he's the one that they want."

"And you just let Dumbledore take him away?" Remus said incredulously.

"It was really for the best. Albus assured us that he would be with good people the whole time, and even though we can't visit him, he'll be back the summer before starts Hogwarts, so we'll really get to know him then." Said Lily who inwardly didn't care if she never saw the boy again..

"Are you mad? Did you just let Albus take away your eldest son, my godson?" Remus backed away from them; he looked at them like they were insane. How could this happen they made him godfather to a boy he would not see for ten years. It was too cruel.

Remus backed away to the fireplace, he turned took some floo powder from the mantle and said, "Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office. Password Gobstoppers" And disappeared in a green flames.

--------------------------------

Number four Privet Drive 

Petunia Dursley opened her front door like she did every morning to get the paper for her husband to read, while he ate his breakfast. This morning there was something a little more than a paper on the stoop.

"VERNON!" She screamed, she picked up the baby and went into the house.

"Yes, my Pet." said Vernon Dursley.

"I just found this child on the front stoop.

"There's a note attached."

_Dear Petunia and Vernon Dursley,_

_The child you are now holding is one Harry Potter the last surviving member of his family, I'm sorry to inform you that your sister Lily, her husband James, and their youngest son Larry Potter were killed Halloween night. They were killed by a dark wizard named, 'Voldemort.' The only survivor of the attack is your young nephew here Harry. He escaped with only the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. I have put protections on your home that will make it impossible for anyone with any sort of magical power to come near it, as well as a charm that will hide your homefrom all wizards, until the child gets his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I suggest that you keep the boy in your home, or near and not put him in an orphanage, the protections I have mentioned only work so long as this is his place of residence. Should his residence change the protections would be gone and your home would be the first place dark wizards would come to look for the child, and I must tell you now, the wizards that would come for the child, kill non-magic people (muggles) like yourselves for fun. Treat Harry as you will, nothing magical can get to you or your family for at least ten years when his Hogwarts letter arrives, as there was no will or anything left by the Potters the boy is destitute except for a small trust for his education that is in an account that can only be accessed for school supplies, so feel free to use him for free labor if need be since you will be paying for him out of your own pocket._

_Sincerely_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster, _

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

"Do you believe this? My dratted sister up and gets herself killed and we are left her stupid little brat." Petunia she was positively livid. She hated Lily, her parents marveled at the magic Lily could do but just ignored Petunia, and now she would have to put up with this freak of little boy.

"Petunia, Pet, we have a chance her to change this boy. We will make him normal. We'll teach him the way of the world; he'll learn that freaks like him are below our precious Duddums. Oh yes, Pet, we'll teach him his place even if we have to beat the freakishness out of him." Said Vernon as he looked at the sleeping child in his wife's arms.

---------------------------End of Chapter 2---------------------------

(**A/N:** Well, this second chapter came because I couldn't get to sleep and I was thinking too much about this story. I'll try to update again soon but I do have other stories going so please be patient. Read and Review, and remember Story Alert and Author Alert are your friends, they will let you know when this story gets updated. So please use them. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Leave me a review I love to read them. Happy reading.)

**NEXT TIME:** Chapter 3: This is Living?


	3. Chapter 3: This is Living?

**Disclaimer:** If you think I'm JKR and own Harry and the gang, you have another thought coming. All hail the Goddess JKR and her marvelous creations.

**They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale**

**Chapter 3: This is Living?**

_Hogwarts_

_November 2nd_

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office alone. It felt weird to him to not have Fawkes sitting on his perch, he looked at the perch and missed his friend of more than a century, but thought, _the price is well worth the reward_, and banished the perch away. He started on some paperwork for the school when the fireplace sudden flared and out stepped one very angry looking Remus Lupin.

"DUMBLEDORE, HOW COULD YOU TAKE HIM AWAY?" Shouted a tortured Lupin.

"What?" Dumbledore tried to play ignorant but he knew exactly what Lupin was talking about.

"Harry, how could you take my cub away? I just got him and now he's gone, HOW COULD YOU!"

"Your cub?" said Dumbledore. _Ah, I should have foreseen that the wolf in Lupin as well as the man would have adopted the boy as his own. Still, it changes nothing, _thought Dumbledore.

"Remus my friend, I did what was best for the boy. He did an amazing thing, he freed our world of the most powerful dark lord it has seen in over a century maybe longer, but there is a price to pay for such thing." Said Dumbledore, "lemon drop?"

"What are you talking about, surely you are not trying to punish a baby for something like that? Even now he's still being heralded a hero for what happened." Said Remus as he took a seat in the chair opposite Dumbledore's desk. On the floor were four big mailbags, which Remus had just noticed; three were white, one was red.

"No, Remus I'm not trying to punish him. I'm trying to protect him. Do you see these mailbags on the floor; the white bags have letters of thanks, money, and gifts all for young Harry. The red mailbag is filled with death threats, cursed objects: mainly toys, howlers, and toys that have been made into portkeys. The mail in that bag is from known death eaters, and supporters of Voldemort who want revenge on the boy for taking away their master." Said Dumbledore. "I'm having all the mail for the Potters diverted here, so that the house elves can sort through it for anything dangerous, Lily and James even with the Potter house elves couldn't handle this and there is more arriving every hour. They can't protect him, and in the meanwhile it wouldn't be fair to Larry to raise him in that kind of a threatened environment."

"But why just send him away, shouldn't the whole family go into hiding?" Asked Remus his heart sinking he was already thinking he was loosing his cub.

"The people who would want to hurt the boy would be looking for the Potter family, and it would be much more difficult to protect the whole family when all the want is one. Remus, it is better for Harry to be removed to a safe place, placed with another family who will take care of him. He'll be brought back the summer before Hogwarts; it'll be safer for him then. And if it isn't then he can stay at Hogwarts until school starts, but right now, him being in hiding is the safest thing for him." Said Dumbledore with the proper tinge of sadness, which was only betrayed by the near merry twinkle in his eyes. Remus was broken hearted and didn't look in the old man's eyes and never saw the twinkle.

"May I at least, write him? Send him gifts on his birthday and Christmas?" Pleaded the broken hearted werewolf.

"He is under the fidelus charm Lupin, and I am not the secret keeper, nor is Lily or James. It was the best thing for him. I can't tell you who the secret keeper is; it is for his safety anything you send him could be tracked, or traced, there are those who claim to have a way to break the fidelus charm, I don't believe it personally, but I prefer not to test theory with the boy's life." Said Dumbledore sagely.

"You're right." Remus said, on the edge of tears. "I'm going to walk to Hogsmead I need to clear my head. Good day headmaster."

"Good day, Remus, and remember, you do still have a godson so you will need to keep your home prepared for inspections by the Ministry, you may not be able to see for ten years, but that time will pass, and you do want him to be able to visit you, do you not? I've talk with the ministry and your first inspection is in one week. Good luck." Said Dumbledore.

Remus left the room and closed the door behind him. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily; he had the werewolf under control. He thanked his lucky stars for the death eater threats that were coming practically hourly.

------------------------------------

_Potter Hall_

_November 2nd_

"Really, I don't know why Remus is so upset to not see that brat for 10 years," said Lily. "It's almost a reason for another celebration."

"Indeed." Said James. "Ten years without that little troublemaker around, ten years without someone trying to kill us. Just us and our beautiful baby boy Larry." Said James.

"Damn right, all we need is Larry. He's perfect and we don't have to worry about someone trying to kill him, after all he's not the Boy-Who-Lived." Said Sirius.

Flash at the fireplace and all three turned to look, a woman's head was floating in the fire.

"Who are you, how did you get in our fireplace, we didn't give you the password." asked Lily, she had her wand out and pointed at the strange head, as did James and Sirius.

"Hello, I'm Rita Skeeter, a new reporter for the Daily Prophet, and I'd like to interview you and your family for a special edition coming out a few hours if I may? Albus Dumbledore gave me the password, he said you wouldn't mind the interview." Said the head of be speckled woman with beetle eyes.

"Of course, come in." Said Lily. Rita's head then disappeared from the green flames and a moment later she stepped out of the fireplace.

-----------------------------------

November 3rd

Hogwarts

An old man in bright blue robes with a long white beard and merry twinkle in eye sits at his desk, reading the Daily Prophet.

_**The Family of the Boy-Who-Lived without the Boy-Who-Lived** _

_Today I had an interview with none of the than the famous Potter Family. I had hoped to get see the little savior of the wizarding world himself, young fifteen month old Harry Potter but I have found that that is not to be for me, or anyone, including his own family. The Little Savior has been put into seclusion, because of numerous death threats by unrepentant Death Eaters. While the Ministry has caught many of them since You-Know-Who's downfall, and quite a few have turned themselves in claiming to be under the imperious curse, there are still quite a few at liberty who are seeking revenge for the downfall of their Master._

_"The Potters have received many letter of thanks, and congratulations from the public in general for their eldest son, Harry. However they have received many threats against the boy's life, and have even had toys and gifts sent to him that have proven to be cursed and others have been proven to be portkeys. We are taking these threats quite seriously, and because of that we have decided that it would be better for young Mr. Potter to be a way from his family until it is time for him to come to Hogwarts." Said Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_I asked the Headmaster, 'why not put the whole family in seclusion' to that the Headmaster said, "The whole family is not in danger all the threats have been directed at young Harry Potter. The magic, time and energy spent to protect the entire Potter family would be stretched to thin to be truly effect; however, Harry is being placed with another family who are already in protection it is a simpler and surer method to strengthen already existing protections then to create them in the beginning. There was little time to waste so we decided to go with this option. The Potters will not be seeing their son while he is away, it is sad but it is for the boy's safety." Said Dumbledore._

_I got permission from Dumbledore to speak with the Potters in their home. I met Lily Rose Potter, James Potter, Sirius Black and the twin of the Boy-Who-Lived Lawrence (Larry) Potter. The Potters were an extremely nice family and spoke of their survival of the attack though wouldn't go into much detail. They did say that it was indeed young Harry who destroyed You-Know-Who when the killing curse he sent at the boy, suddenly rebounded and hit You-Know-Who. The curse left a Lightning bolt shaped cut on the child's head, that this reporter found out will change into a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The Potters were freed from his spells with You-Know-Who's demise and they managed to catch the traitor how gave their location to the You-Know-Who. The traitor was none other than one of their closest friends and their secret-keeper, Peter Pettigrew. Peter Pettigrew had a speedy trial at the Ministry and was sentenced to Life in Azkaban, though many including the Potters and Black thought he should have receive the Dementor's Kiss._

_I asked the Potters about losing their little hero, for his safety, and this is what they said._

"_I'll miss Harry, he's a special boy, but I want him to live and for that, I can't have my little boy with me, it saddens me, but it is for the best." Said Lily Potter._

"_I would, of course, prefer to have my son with me," said James Potter "but I would rather have safe then with me and forever in fear of his life."_

"_I love all the Potters like family," Said Sirius Black "but if Harry staying away will protect, then it is best for him." _

_I managed to get a few words from the twin of the Boy-Who-Lived, "Harwy, gone, be back someday."_

_Here we have the Family of the Boy-Who-Live without the Boy-Who-Lived, a little sad but wanting nothing but the best for their missing member._

_Rita Skeeter_

_Reporter_

Dumbledore read the paper and thought it couldn't have went better if he had dictated it. His eyes twinkled madly, now the boy would be his when the time came no one would look for him, and when he went to collect him, he would have the boy and his dreams would be close to realization.

------------------------------

Number 4 Privet Drive

It had been a day since young Harry Potter arrived at the Dursleys, and already his future looked grim even to him, and he's was but fifteen months old. Many things worried him. Since he arrived he hadn't seen his mother or father. He knew the green light made his mother fall and sleep but surely she's gotten up by now, and where's Daddy and Larry? Where's Padfoot and Moony? The people he was with now didn't seem to like him much. He tried to be quiet and wait patiently for his parents to come and get him but these people seemed to hate the very fact that he was there. It had been a whole day since he woke up there and there was no mention of his parents. He was put in the same crib as a blonde boy that was bigger than he was, but the boy didn't seem very bright to Harry.

Petunia came into the room to get Dudley for lunch. In the day since Harry arrived, she had not bothered to feed him or change his diaper. Harry wasn't worried too much about the diaper it was magic and would self clean for a week before the magic wore out and his mother had just changed him a little while before the bad red-eyed man came. So it would be at least a few days before he would have to worry about that.

Dudley was just starting to wake, Harry was already up and standing in the crib. He held the top of the guardrail and looked over it at Petunia. Petunia looked at Harry, really looked at him for the first time since he arrived. The glamour that Dumbledore put on Harry still left some of the boy's beauty shine through. Petunia was floored by how truly lovely the boy was. His emerald eyes so much like her dratted sister's. How Petunia loathed her sister's eyes, everyone commented on how striking and beautiful they were. He had her dratted sister's perfect nose, and the thing that really made Petunia angry with the boy, was that everything else about the boy screamed James Potter. No one knew but her and James, but she had developed a crush on James the moment she met him when he came home with Lily in their seventh year. She fell instantly madly in love with him. He was tall, dark, and had a look of mischief and daring that made him look like every romantic hero she had ever read about. And though Petunia said she didn't like magic, she was really jealous she had always dreamed of having the kind of power her sister and James had. James discovered that Petunia had a crush on him, so he made it clear that he loved Lily and only Lily. He never told Lily about Petunia's crush. Yes, Petunia was jealous of her sister for every single thing she had. Her looks, her power, her boyfriend/husband, and now before her stood the ultimate, her sister's perfect son.

Harry was everything she wanted in a son, and everything that Dudley wasn't. Harry was a reminder of a sister she tried to bury in her memory. Her every crushed dream was realized in this boy and it brought her jealousy of her sister to pure hatred of Lily, James and the boy Harry. She looked from Harry to Dudley and compared them and found Dudley wanting in nearly every way. Harry's eyes in addition to being brilliantly green and beautiful shone with intelligence. Dudley eyes looked like if he had a thought it would die of loneliness. Harry had James' black messy hair, which Petunia thought perpetually looked windswept and dashing, Dudley had Vernon's ratty looking blonde hair. Harry was beautifully proportioned in his body, it wasn't too skinny or too fat, he just looked perfectly healthy. Dudley looked like he was a white baby walrus. The only thing that kept Petunia's jealousy from consuming her was the thought that her son was older and would probably actually be smarter than Harry. After all, Dudley could speak a few words, and was learning a new word every week or two.

Harry hadn't spoken really since he arrived, he could sense that they didn't like him so he stayed quiet and out the way, but now he really wanted to know how much longer he had to stay until his parents came. "Excuse me, ma'am, do you know when my mum and dad will come get me?" Asked Harry quite politely.

Petunia stared at Harry like he was new. The boy spoke a sentence clearly and distinctly, while her son Dudley, had just learned the word, 'won't.' Harry's stomach suddenly growled loudly and he blushed, "Excuse me." The boy was polite, intelligent, beautiful, while her son was rude, ordinary if not slow, and fat. Even dead Lily still bested her and Petunia was inwardly LIVID!

"Your parents are dead!" she snapped at Harry as she gathered Dudley to take downstairs to feed his lunch.

"Dead?" Harry said, as he remember the family cat that had died just last month and the family held a funeral for it, and his mommy told him that the cat was gone forever and wouldn't ever come back because it was dead.

"Yes, dead. You will never see them again, now shut and don't let me hear another word from you." Said Petunia.

"Wait, but what about Larry? Where's my brother?" Harry begged on the verge of tears.

"He's dead too. All of them are dead." Said Petunia. She looked in Harry's eyes and saw the heart break there, for a second she felt sorry for him but then she got lost in the green of his eyes, and her jealousy returned.

Harry sat down on the bed started to cry, he would never see his mum again, never see his dad, never see his twin Larry. He didn't fully understand the pain he was in but he just knew it hurt that they were gone.

Harry cried out loud deep cries that would touch any soul, provided it was buried under so much jealousy and hate as Petunia's. "SHUT UP!" she yelled and she slapped the one year old in the face.

Harry was shocked, never in his life had his parents or anyone ever hit him and hurt him.

"You listen, I don't want to hear a sound out of you. So just be quiet."

Harry sniffed, the tears still rolling out down his face, and he held a hand to his cheek that was already reddening.

Petunia picked up Dudley and left the room. Harry cried quietly in the crib, until he fell asleep from exhaustion and sorrow.

---------------**End of Chapter 3**---------------

(**A/N:** Well, life with the Dursleys has begun for our poor little hero. He saved a world only to be tossed into his own private hell. This chapter is shorter than I like, but this was a good place to end it I thought.)

(**Next time:** We skip a head a few years and see how Lupin is doing without his cub, have Potters free themselves of the curse, is either of the twins doing accidental magic. Don't you think three years old is a little young to be doing 8 hours of gardening? Where are the child labor people at? Look for the Story alert for chapter 4, _Chapter 4: Who calls this Living?)_

**(Please read and Review**. Remember Story Alert and Author Alert are your friend either of these will email you and let you know when there is an update on this story. Check out my other stories as well. If you like this story, check out Darien and Harry Potter, if you like Veela Stories check out Obsession, Madness and Love, if you like X-Men check out A Storm in Hogwarts. More stories are on the drawing board, check out my profile page to get a link to any of these stories. have a nice day.)

CatWriter 


	4. Chapter 4: Who Calls This Living?

**They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale**

**Chapter 4: Who Calls This Living?**

_Four Years Later_

It's been four years since the downfall of the dark lord and Dumbledore has had complete control over the Potters in that time. He had changed the date he would renew the spell on the Potters to the boys' birthday because it would be a simple matter to spend the night after the party at Potter Hall then when everyone was asleep go to each of them and renew the spell. Yes, everything was going according to the old man's plan. He had a special mirror in his office that let him keep tabs on Harry, he knew exactly how the boy was treated, and had at least twice a year since the boy was left with the Dursleys had to come and intervene before the boy was killed. He then simply stunned the family, healed Harry with Potions from Severus and healing spells, and then obliterated everyone's memory. The Dursleys were far more brutal than he anticipated but it was partly his fault he had used the spell of Malficence on the Dursleys, not realizing that it would work stronger on them, not only were they muggle and therefore the spell would last longer, but they already hated the boy, the spell sent that hatred over the top, and now the spell seemed irreversible. Dumbledore for his part simply wished it were as irreversible on the Potters and save him the trouble of renewing it every year.

Tomorrow was the twins' birthday and Lily was expecting another child in a month. The party was being set and the press was coming. Gifts were going to be brought for both Larry and Harry, even though Harry would never see them. His gifts, those that Larry didn't want, were sent to a muggle orphanage if they weren't magical, and to poor wizarding families if they were magical. Gifts of money went to straight into the Potters pockets and Harry would probably never see a kanut of it.

Dumbledore sat in his office and looked at the mirror that showed him Harry. Well, not so much Harry but number 4 Privet Drive, and it's surrounding properties. He watched a small boy working in the hot summer sun in the garden. He saw the child sweating and his hands bled from pulling weeds without gloves on. The boy had jet-black hair, that was in disarray, he was small for age he didn't look like he would five years old the next day. His face was dirty from using his soil-covered hands to wipe the sweat away. Dumbledore watched him work for a while then went about his other duties. If the boys' life was in any danger the alarms would go off and he would know.

------------------------

Harry was working in the yard, he had to garden tomorrow would be his birthday, or so he thought he wasn't sure, they never celebrated his birthday or really mentioned, he vaguely remember his parents telling him his birthday when he was younger. Harry's memory was always good but now the memory of the Potters was more than half his life ago. It hurt to remember being happy with his family, Padfoot and Moony. So he pushed those memories to the back of his mind. He lived here now. He had to be a good boy for the Dursleys or he would be punished. He didn't like being punished, and he especially didn't like being punished by Uncle Vernon. Aunt Petunia just generally slapped him and locked him in his cupboard, but Uncle Vernon was much worse, and Harry tried everything to keep him happy.

Harry was cleaning behind the rose bush in the backyard when a small snake crawled in front of him. It was a small green common garden snake really just a hatchling, but snakes are born with the memory of all their parents before them so that they can take care of themselves as soon as they are hatched. This snake was but a few weeks old but was very wise.

"_Stay back, human!" _hissed the snake. It knew that humans usually meant trouble for his kind.

"_Oh sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I'll work over out of your way." _Harry hissed back and then proceeded to work around the gardenia bush.

"_Wait, you can speak?" _said the snake.

"_Of course, why is that unusual?" _asked Harry.

"_Yes, humans can not speak, in the tongue of snakes. You are a special human." _said the snake.

"_I'm not special. I'm just a freak. A stupid worthless freak." _Said Harry sadly.

"_You are not stupid, you can speak. I like you human and so you are not worthless."_

"_My name is Harry. What's yours?"_

"_Abernathy."_

"_Your name is Abernathy? How does a snake get a name like Abernathy?"_ Asked Harry smiling for the first time in a long, long time.

"_I remember everything my parents knew, and their parents, such is the way of snakes. One of my ancestors was raised by a human boy, the boy named him Abernathy, I like the sound of the name so I have taken it for myself." _ Said Abernathy.

"_Abernathy, would you… would you be my friend?"_ Harry asked shyly. He figure the snake would say no, no one ever wanted to be near him, why would the snake be any different, still Harry held some hope so he asked.

"_My kind like to be alone, we live our lives that way until we mate and then we leave and go back to being by ourselves again. My ancestor the first Abernathy enjoyed the boy he lived with until it was time for him to find a mate, then he left and was not able to return, he missed the boy for the rest of his life, because of this all of his progeny have longed for a boy of their own to feel what he remembered all his life, so yes, I would be your friend, Harry. It would be my honor, Light-child." _ Said Abernathy with humility and joy.

"_Light-child?"_ Asked Harry.

"_There is a story of a child of Light, I don't know it very well, my family is not of the magical variety that would be up on these sorts of things. One of my ancestors met a magical snake that spoke of a light-child and said that one of my ancestors decedents would befriend that child. I'm not sure if you are that child but since you can speak, I like to think so, even if I am wrong, you will always be the light-child to me." _Said Abernathy with great sincerity.

"Boy! Get to work, always wasting time and playing. You've been by the same bush for twenty minutes you have more work back there if its not done by the time Vernon gets home, I'll see to it he punishes you!" Screamed Petunia.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Said Harry and he went back to work.

"_Harry I can wrap around your arm and you can work and we can talk. I'm small I won't be heavy. Would you like that?"_ Abernathy asked.

"_Oh yes, I never have anyone to talk to, I'm so alone sometimes." _Said Harry. Abernathy quickly wound itself around Harry's arm. Harry's oversized clothes were perfect for hiding Abernathy from view while Harry worked in the garden. He went back to work in the garden, pulling weeds, replanting some of the flowers, watering the entire garden; the work went fast now that he had someone to talk to, it was fun actually. Abernathy had a funny sense of humor and was sarcastic in general, Abernathy made Harry smile more in the one day that had been together than Harry could remember over the entire course of his life.

Soon the work was done and the soon was going down. Harry was very tanned another ten minutes of sun and he would have burned. It was time to go in Uncle Vernon was due home soon and Harry had to be in his cupboard. He wished he could get a bath, but he knew they wouldn't allow it.

"_Abernathy, I have go in now. I think it would be best for you to stay out here, in the bushes where it's safe. I thin they would kill you if they found you." _Hissed Harry.

"_I agree, besides it time to hunt, and I am hungry. I will be under the rose bush tomorrow." _Abernathy said then unwound from Harry's arm.

"_I may not be out tomorrow or for a while, sometimes I have to work inside the house. Live your life, if you come back and I am out, call to me, and we'll talk again, tell me what you have seen of the world. Okay?" _Harry said, he knew it would be a while before he would see his new friend again all the work in the garden was finished.

"_All right, but I will stop by everyday when the sun is high, and see if you are here, if not I will see the rest of the world so that we have things to talk about when I return." _Abernathy then turned and slithered away under the rose bush.

"Boy what are doing, the work out here is done, get your lazy arse in the house!" Said Petunia as she reached down grabbed Harry by the ear and dragged him into the house. Abernathy didn't leave, but remained under the bush and listened to the house, Abernathy was worried about Harry.

Petunia gave Harry half a glass of water. Harry drank it fast, the coolness of it felt so good. How he longed for a bath. Petunia then threw the boy into the cupboard and then finished making dinner for the family, unfortunately that didn't include Harry. Who sat in his cupboard where he could smell the food cooking, and felt his stomach growl from hunger. He hadn't been fed in three days, and from the looks of thing it looked like it would be four. Harry heard the front door opened and knew it was Uncle Vernon arriving home.

"Hello Pet," he said. As he put his bag down and hugged his wife. Dudley came from upstairs and gave his father a hug. Truly from the outside the looked like some 50's television show of the perfect family.

"Hello Hon," said Petunia. "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, why don't you go upstairs and wash up, you too Duddums." Vernon and Dudley smiled and went upstairs. Vernon changed into more comfortable green sweat suit, while Dudley washed up in the bathroom. When Dudley was done then Vernon washed up and then went downstairs to the table, stumping on the stairs on this way down. Harry closed his eyes, and tried to go to sleep, he was so hungry and he didn't want to hear them eating. Yes, they made loud grunting noises when they ate, they wanted to make sure Harry knew they were eating and he was not. Harry closed his eyes and thought about Abernathy, and hoped his new friend was okay. He tried figure out what did snakes eat, he never did ask. The thought of someone eating made Harry's stomach growl again. He would really be happy to get the bit of bread and water that he got sometimes right now. Three days is the longest the Dursleys ever made him go without eating, but it looked like it would be longer this time, and he wasn't even being punished for anything. An hour after they had all eaten and talked very loudly about how great dinner was, and delicious the cake Petunia had made for dinner was, then Petunia opened the cupboard door and told Harry to clean the kitchen.

"And you better not eat anything. You know to asked you greedy little freak." Said Petunia. Harry nodded even as his stomach grumbled.

Harry looked in the kitchen it was a total mess, it looked like wildebeest had been grazing in that room. He looked around and sighed. He got a chair to stand in because being five he couldn't really see over the sink just yet, especially with how small he was. He got all the dishes to the sink and started the dishwater. While the water ran he cleaned the table and the stovetop. When the was ready he washed the dishes, he cut his hand in the soapy water on the sharp knives, it stung badly but still he had to get his done. He looked at the food in the garbage and wanted so much to get just a bit of it. But he knew his Aunt hadn't gone to bed, she was lurking in the other room waiting for him to make a move on it. He knew if he did he would be in terrible trouble she would probably even get Uncle Vernon to punish him. No hungry as he was he wasn't going to fall into that trap again.

Harry finished all the dishes and all of the pots and pans; he swept the floors and mopped even though both the broom and mop looked about two feet taller than he was. He made sure ever thing was back in its proper place and the room was spotless, just as he was about to leave the room he heard his Aunt try to quietly walk up the stairs without him noticing. He had made through the day without being punished by his Aunt or his Uncle he went to his cupboard almost happy. About three the morning the cupboard flew open, Uncle Vernon stood there looking at him. Harry was sound a sleep not thirty seconds ago, but now he was wide awake and shaking his Uncle pulled him bodily from the cupboard.

"Open your mouth boy." Vernon demanded.

"No, please Uncle Vernon, I've been good, please really I've been good all day." Pleaded Harry.

"Shut up and open your mouth or it will be the worst for you!" Vernon said in a deadly whisper.

Harry complied and whimpered. Vernon stuffed a small rag in Harry's mouth then put duck tape over, he the dragged the boy to the garage. Harry was shaking violently. Vernon took off his belt and looked at the small boy in front of him.

"Why can't people listen to me!" Vernon said in a harsh whisper, and then he started to whip Harry. "Every day at that job, I give them good ideas, things that will work, but they don't listen to me." Vernon kept swinging the belt as strike after strike landed on the small boy. Harry tried to run but the garage was empty it was nothing but a big empty space with no place to hide. Harry couldn't scream with the rag and tape in and on his mouth. Finally, Harry ran to a corner curled into a ball as blow after blow came, his Uncle complaining about how unfair his job was, how no one listened. Tears streamed down Harry's cheeks in rivers. Vernon tired of the belt, and started kicking Harry; the boy passed out, but Vernon didn't stop he was lost in his rage. One more blow and the alarms would have gone off and Dumbledore would have arrived, but that blow never came. Vernon picked up the battered boy and put him back in the cupboard. Vernon had a small smile on his face he felt better now.

The next day Petunia got Vernon off to work, fixed Dudley his breakfast and then went to have Harry clean the kitchen, she figured she would even feed him a little something today. She opened the cupboard and yelled for the lazy boy to get up. A half hour later Harry wasn't up, she yelled for him again, and banged on the cupboard door. A half hour later still no Harry, angry she went into the cupboard to get the worthless creature. She flipped him over on his cot and saw that he was a mass of bruises and welts. She yanked the duck tape from his mouth, and removed the rag. She put a glass of water in the cupboard and a couple of piece of toast and left him alone for the day, she checked to see if the water was drank or the bread eaten throughout the day but they were never touched, and by bed time, the boy was still in the same position she had left in that morning. She could tell he was still breathing but little else. She knew her husband sometimes took his frustrations out on the boy, and she was okay with it, but she really did need him to do his chores.

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In the four years since Harry has been gone, Remus Lupin has gone downhill. He missed his cub so much. He kept his house ready for inspection 24 hours a day, when Harry returned to the wizarding world Harry would be able to stay with him sometimes. Remus was making sure of that. All the money he earned went towards preparing his home for Harry's returned. He fixed a room for him; it had a plaque that Harry's Room on it. He knew Harry would be nearly eleven when came so he was having every toy for boys that said 10 years old and up put into the room if it looked even half way fun. He was constantly having his cell upgraded whenever he had saved up enough money, there would no chance for escapes during the full moon, because he would never ever hurt his cub, it would kill Remus to hurt a hair on Harry's head.

Beyond work and making his home safe and fun for Harry, Remus carried about little else. He only carried about work because it helped him to get the things he wanted for Harry. He didn't spend any money on clothes for himself, he hardly ate he just missed the boy so much. Remus loved Harry before he was made Harry's godfather. Sirius was always favored by Larry, and Harry always preferred Remus, but Sirius was going to be Harry's godfather because the law said Remus couldn't, now that he could, the werewolf felt so torn. He was happy to have his cub, but the problem was he didn't have his cub. Oh how Remus used to dream of Harry being his son. The walks they would take in the forests, books that Remus would share with him. Most people often thought that Remus should have been in Ravenclaw, the man had a love of books that rivaled any Ravenclaw. Remus even started an account in Gringotts; he wanted to have something to leave Harry, when his time was done. Remus worked odd jobs, jobs no one else would do, but he didn't care just so long as he could things they way he wanted them to be for Harry.

Today he was working as an exterminator, catching rats that were infesting the Leaky Cauldron. Remus spent most of the day in the basement setting magical traps; the rats were magical. He put up wards to keep the vermin from coming into the restaurant bar area and to keep them from the guest rooms. He had to go and inspect each room before setting the wards or the rats or mice would be trapped in the room. This is where being a werewolf was handed he could sniff the room and see if anything was any there before he set the wards that would allow other magical creatures in but not mice or rats, magical or mundane. The job took about six hours and Remus had been there six the place opened at six in the morning. It was now lunch time and he was sitting having a cup of tea.

"Remus, come on let me fix you a nice meal," Said Tom the owner operator of the Leaky Cauldron.

Remus was thin; his black robes were in tatters at the end. His hair was graying and he had dark circles under his eyes. He had definitely seen better days.

"No thanks Tom," Remus said in a tired voice. "Besides I have to get to Madam Rosemerta's she's my next job, I have to be there by 12:30 pm."

"Remus, you won't do him any good if you work yourself to death before he comes back." Said Tom.

Remus looked up at Tom with a gave him a tired smile, "I'm fine. Really, besides I want to stop at the toy store in Hogsmead and see if they have any new toys for him."

"All right, but look, I'm going to give you a sandwich to take with you. You eat it at Rosemerta's or your can save until you get home it'll be under a preservation spell. Promise you eat something, you really are too thin, Remus." Said Tom.

"Yes, mother, and I'll put on my mitten and scarf before I go out and play too." Snarked Remus.

Tom made Remus a roast beef sandwich; some chips and a bottle of butter beer put the preservation spell on all of it, and then put in a bag and then shrunk it to fit easily in Remus' robe pocket.

"You better eat that too," Said Tom. "This is mother talking."

Remus laughed, put the bag in his pocket and then went on to his next job.

----------------------------------------

Lily and James Potter were tiring of the life of a celebrity family. It had been four years and now they longed for their privacy. Larry on the other hand loved all the attention, but Lily and James weren't that kind of people.

"James, I'm worried about how all this attention is effecting Larry." Said Lily in bed as she and James lay in bed watching television. Lily was always a brilliant witch and she figured out long ago that simple magic dampening spell around the area the television would be in would be enough to let the thing work in a medium magic environment. She never knew if it work in a high magic environment like Hogwarts or the Ministry, but it worked fine around the manor provided it was far enough away from the outer wards.

"I know hon, I'm kind of worried about him too. He enjoys the fame, but really it's not his fame, it's Harry's. What happens when Harry returns and the spotlight isn't on him anymore?" Said James.

"I'm worried about that too, and there's that brat Harry, he's probably just glory loving dolt anyway." Lily spat.

"And his fame will ruin our sweet Larry." said James.

"We going have to wean Larry off of the fame and attention, so from now on no more interviews for any of us, no interviews, no autographs, nothing. James you should tell Sirius the same thing tomorrow. He's as bad as Larry, he's really enjoying all the fame, but really it's not ours and I don't like what it's doing to us." Said Lily with all sincerity.

"I agree." Said James who then got up from bed and turned off the television. The remote didn't work too much magic between the dampening field around the television and the bed.

----------------------------------

Privet Drive 

Petunia woke up the got dressed went downstairs and knocked on the cupboard door. There was no sound at all coming from the room. She fixed Vernon's breakfast, opened the cupboard and checked Harry still no change. She then went to kitchen and then sat down.

"Vernon, I'm worried." Said Petunia.

"What about my Pet?" Said Vernon as he ate his breakfast.

"The boy. He hasn't moved since you… he hasn't moved in two days, not at all. He's breathing but that's about it. I've left some toast and water in there for him; he's not touched it. What if… what if he dies?" Petunia whispered.

"So what if he does. No one cares about him." Vernon grunted as he continued to eat.

"What if **they** come looking for him? Besides he's to start school in the fall, that's just a month away. He's already registered; people know he's here. If he suddenly doesn't turn up they'll be questions." Petunia said.

"What do you want to do?" Asked Vernon.

"I want to take him to hospital. I'll say some teenagers did it, a gang. I'll say I was looking for him and found him like that. He knows not say anything." Said Petunia.

"Fine. Do what you want. I'm going to be late for work." Said Vernon.

"Okay, I'll see you tonight, Love." Said Petunia and she gave Vernon a kiss. He then drove off to work.

"Dudley, get down here." Said Petunia. Dudley came downstairs he was dressed and ready to go the play ground and meet his friend Pierce.

"Dudley, I'm going to have you spend the day with Pierce I have an errands to run and I think it'll be better for you to stay with Pierce." Said Petunia as she got her coat. She made Dudley four sandwiches to take with him.

Petunia walked Dudley to the playground and talked to Pierce's mother, she said she'd be glad to watch the boy for the day and told petunia to pick him up by 6:30 pm. It was 8:30 now so she figured it was more than enough time to get the boy straighten out at hospital.

Petunia came home and called a taxi, and then she carried Harry to cab and went to the hospital. Arabella Figg saw Petunia carry Harry away. Arabella Figg was a squib, a non-magical or low-magical person born to a magical family. She immediately fire-called Dumbledore.

"Albus, I just saw Mrs. Dursley carry Harry to a cab, I think the boy was unconscious. I didn't hear where they were going." Said Mrs. Figg.

"Thanks for calling Arabella, remember TELL NO ONE, not even other order members. I'll handle this personally." Said Dumbledore.

-------------------------------------

Hogwarts 

"Damn it, the wards must be beginning to fail, if it didn't go off when the boy is hurt enough that his aunt has to take him to hospital." Dumbledore now had to figure a way to keep this covered up.

Petunia arrived at Hospital with Harry still unconscious in her arms. "Help! I need someone's help!" she cried as she entered the emergency room.

"What happened to him?" Asked a nurse.

"He was beaten up by some teenagers, I think they were trying to rob him or something. He's my nephew, can you help him?" Said Petunia, a part of her hoped they couldn't and she would rid of the boy, still another part of her realized that he was just a boy, magical or not and he didn't deserve to die like this.

The nurse called over a doctor and they took Harry to emergency room three. The boy was one of the saddest cases they had ever seen, he appeared to be a three year old, beaten so very badly, that they feared he would never waken. His spleen was ruptured and leaked poison into his body for too long, even if they removed it now, it was probably too late. They did all they could for he small boy, they put his broken arm and leg in splints, bandaged his cracked skull, and then went to talk to the woman who brought him in.

Harry, fortunately for him, had a bed by the window and had curtains around the bed so no one could see him unless they went around the curtains. The window was opened magically…

Albus Dumbledore arrived at the hospital under a spell of invisibility. He listened to Petunia as she re-accounted her story of finding the boy in this condition. Dumbledore figured he would just obliviate Petunia and the doctors and nurses once he was through healing the boy. He would then magically erase all record of his ever being in the hospital and then all would be well. Dumbledore listened until he found out what room Harry was in then apperated to it. When he arrived the sight that met his old eyes, made his heart leap. There leaning over Harry with tears in his eyes was Fawkes. Fawkes had great thick glistening tears fall into the unconscious child mouth, healing him.

"Fawkes, my old friend, you have returned to me." Said Dumbledore as he approached the boy. Fawkes looked at Dumbledore coldly then flew out of the window. Dumbledore went to Harry and saw that the bruises and wounds were healing quickly. The boy would be fine in a day. Dumbledore sighed and wondered what the bird was doing there? Phoenixes are rare and mysterious creatures he knew, they didn't need to bond with humans but they could if they chose too, though some are destined to. Ultimately Dumbledore just figured that Fawkes was still watching his back, even though Fawkes didn't want to be with him anymore, and took false comfort from that.

Dumbledore gathered Harry up; the five year old was now simply sleeping. He went invisibly to the lobby and stunned Petunia set her up in a chair and placed Harry in her lap. Then he went to all the doctors and nurses and obliviated their memories of Harry and Petunia. Dumbledore then returned to Petunia and Harry and apperated them back home. He then obliviated Petunia's memory and told her to let Harry rest for the rest of the day and then to put him back to work tomorrow.

That night while Harry slept he dreamt of the voice he heard in his dreams sometimes, the voice that told him he was not alone. "Harry, I'm sorry I can't be with you. Where you are I cannot go for nothing magical can come near except the one who made the barrier in the first place. I am still with you my friend and always will be. Remember you are not alone." Then he heard a beautiful and comforting song, phoenix song, and slept peaceably through the night.

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Remus Lupin had one more job to do and his day would be done, the next night was the full moon and he wanted to get as much done as possible. The next floo address he had was "Aconite's Habitat." He arrived out of the floo and instantly his werewolf nose told him, whom he was working for… he groaned.

"LUPIN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME!"

-------------------------End chapter 4-------------------------------

(**A/N:** Well there is chapter 4, hope you likey, if you do, please review. Again feel free to look at my profile and read any of my other stories. Remember Story Alert and Author Alert are your friends, so use them, they will send you an email when I update this story. Story Alert will only let you know when I update this story, Author Alert will email when I update ANY of my story in addition to emailing you when I start a new story. So use them and PLEASE REVIEW.)

(**NEXT TIME:** Whom is Remus working for? Will Abernathy always be there for Harry? Will Dumbles continue to believe that Fawkes is watching over him? What happens on the twins birthday? Well see you next time. ciao)

CatWriter


	5. Chapter 5: Aconite and the Wolf

They Lived: A Twist on a Familiar Tale

Chapter 5: Life goes on

_(A/N: Remember I did say there was some slashiness to this story, you'll see a bit of that here, if you don't like don't read or just skip the section for Aconite's Habitat.) _

Privet Drive

Petunia awoke around lunchtime, Harry was still unconscious in the cupboard and so she decided to give him one more day; Dumbledore of course, suggested it, but she thought it was her own idea. Harry slept peaceably in the cupboard for the first time in ages, the phoenix song and the phoenix tears working their magic to put him in the best health he had been in since arriving at Privet Drive.

When Uncle Vernon arrived home from work, he was surprised that Harry was still in his cupboard and that apparently Petunia hadn't taken him to the doctor as she wanted. She made no mention of the idea, so he suspect the little freak must have used his 'unnaturalness' to heal himself some how. Once Harry was fully healed Vernon vowed Harry would be in for another beating for using his 'freakishness' in Vernon's house.

Potter Hall

It was the night birthday party for the twins the party was over and the Potters and Sirius, who had a permanent room in the Manor in addition to his own apartment, were all asleep. Dumbledore was, of course, in attendance and had stayed the night. He renewed the spell but for some reason before casting it the first time that night, he had second thoughts. He actually did like the Potter family. James and Lily had been two of his favorite students when they were in attendance at Hogwarts. Were it not for the prophecy and the possibility of immortality that came from Harry, he would have like to truly call them friends. Dumbledore honestly didn't see himself as evil, he just did what he thought he had to do for the benefit of the world, it just so happened that he had to make sacrifices, and some people would get hurt, or even die, but for him the ends justified the means. He didn't understand that was where the evil truly lies.

Dumbledore went from room to room, and bed to bed casting the spell, each time he cast it he got a little darker. He thought he understood the spell, lost in his own hype about being the 'great' and 'wise' Dumbledore, he forgot that he was not 'ALL WISE', he forgot that he could make mistakes, and that he didn't understand everything. Each time he cast the spell it put hatred in the heart of his victims for Harry but it also robbed Dumbledore of some of his own light. While he was a light wizard his capacity for light was not infinite, however the path back to the light was not closed to him.

The light could be lost but it could be regained, even the darkest soul can find it's way to the light if, and only if it truly rejects the darkness with it's whole heart and embraces the light. And even then, it has to repay those that were harmed by the evil that the person committed. Doing this was extremely difficult the acts sometimes committed seemed beyond redemption, yet sometimes the victims were surprised at their own ability to forgive. This was the hope that Fawkes still held for Dumbledore, the hope that someday he would regain his light. Fawkes knew he would never return to Dumbledore but that didn't stop him from wanting the man to regain his light.

As Dumbledore cast the spell for the last time that night on Larry, he noticed something. Larry seemed to lean in toward the spell, like he wanted it. The child was a sleep, yet he seemed to sense the magic that as coming, he seemed to crave it. Dumbledore looked at him with curiosity. He remembered that he knew nothing of how the spell would act on a child of Larry's age. He been casting the spell on him for four years now, it was a powerful spell too. What if… if the spell was turning the child dark? Dumbledore himself could be creating the next dark lord? No, that can't be right, thought Dumbledore. A child has an enormous capacity for light; Larry was born into a great light family. The Potters were one of the lightest family's he knew. Then again, no one is born evil, not even Tom was born evil. Dumbledore resolved to restrict himself to putting the spell on Larry to every other year that would surely allow Larry's light to grow. Larry seemed to sense this a small whimper escaped his lips as if he knew the magic wasn't coming.

Aconite's Habitat 

While Dumbledore was heading back to bed it was barely ten, somewhere out in the world, Remus J. Lupin was sincerely regretting not checking the name on the work order that brought him face to face with someone he thought not to see for a good long while.

"LUPIN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME!!!"

Remus moaned. Of all the people in the wizarding world he could have worked for on the night before a full moon when his wolf senses are nearly their strongest, he had to wind up at Severus Snape's? 'The universe must really hate me.' thought Lupin.

"WELL?" screamed the irate potion master.

"Hello Severus, look you called for a magical exterminator, right? Well, here I am." Said Lupin with a sarcastic smile.

"What is this some sort of asinine Marauder prank? I'll not have it in my home! I've had enough of you when I was in school, I'll not put up with it in my house, you loopy lupine."

"It's not prank, I'm just…" said Lupin as he was cut off by Snape tirade.

"Not a prank! Please you moronic Marauders no nothing else. I'll not have it!"

"Really, Severus I'm just here to do a job…"

"I'll not have you pulling any of your petulant pranks in my home!" screamed Snape.

It was too close to the full moon, and the man and wolf inside Remus Lupin were fighting for control. Remus the man was doing a good job of keeping Lupin the wolf at bay that is until Snape walked up to him and started poking him in the chest with a finger.

"I'll poke not poke have poke your poke idiotic poke and poke sophomoric poke pranks poke in poke my poke HOME! PUSH " Growled Snape as he pushed Lupin against the wall.

That did it, the battle as to which would control was now over the wolf won. While Lupin didn't transform and become overtly vicious, he definitely took on a more dangerous air about him than the normal peaceful and quiet man that everyone knows Remus to be. His hair grew a little and his eyes darkened, his body seemed to gain bulk, he growled and looked at Snape, and Snape took a step back.

Remus was fast, faster than Snape ever known the man could be. He grabbed Snape and pushed him onto the couch, and then lay on top of him.

"Never, NEVER, mess with a werewolf so near the full moon, fool!" growled Lupin as he pinned Severus wrists above his head on the arm of the couch with his left hand. Lupin straddled him and with his right hand searched for Snape's wand, he felt all over the man's body before finding the wand in his boot holster. Having found wand he tossed it across the room and then looked at his prey.

"You really are a fool, Snape. I came here simply to do a job, yes it's close to the full moon but I could have exterminated the mice and been out of here in twenty minutes, you brought this on yourself." Lupin looked at his prey, 'what to do, what to do.'

Snape stared up at him. He tried to free his wrists but the hand that held them was like a manacle Fear and a flashback playing in his mind of the time Potter saved him, this time there would be no Potter. No one would save him, still he thought, there is no full moon tonight I have to appeal to the man, Snape reasoned.

"Lupin, shouldn't you get to work?" Snape said as calmly as possible.

Lupin looked at him like he was new. How could Snape talk of him working when Snape himself was in a totally vulnerable position? Lupin still straddling Snape leaned in and spoke in his ear in a half growl half whisper, "Should I kill you? Really I just wanted to do my job and you had to go ape shit." Then Snape's scent hit Lupin nose. The scent was intoxicating, it wasn't the smell of potions, well it was but there was something under the potion smell something that smelled of grilled steak, roses, candles, and chocolate. Lupin took a deep pronounced sniff of Snape, and Snape just stared. 'What the hell? Why is he sniffing me?' Snape thought.

"You smell so good." Lupin said breathlessly as he leaned down and sniffed the nape of Snape's neck, all the while keeping Severus' hands pinned.

"Uh, indeed, how about releasing me, and getting to work?" Snape tried to stay calm but something was really wrong. He was pinned in his own home by a werewolf, who was sniffing and straddling him and saying he smelled good? Good, as in tasty? This was so not good, at all.

Lupin laid down on top of Snape lost in his scent, he practically purred which of course completely confused Snape. "Lupin, get off. You have a job to do." Snape reminded.

"No, mine." Lupin sniffed and this time actually did purr. "Mine, waited so long."

"What are talking about?" Snape said.

Lupin settled down comfortably on Snape, settling between Snape's legs, and purred. He then licked Snape's neck and kissed it. "Yes, mine, waited so long. So very long."

A part of Snape was freaking out, another part of him, a surprisingly big part of him like the feel of Lupin on top of him. Both men were fully dressed of course they even still had their shoes on, but the intimacy of their position just couldn't be ignored, and hell it was relished by Lupin and a bit by Snape, which really confused him.

Slowly a lick here and a lick there turned into lite kisses, Lupin's free hand found it's way under Snape's shirt and touched his skin, Snape arched his back at the touch and the hand quickly went around to his back and pulled Snape into a passionate hug and kiss.

Severus Snape had spent much of his life alone. It seemed like he would never find someone to love him at twenty-seven figured he never would. The only woman he ever loved was Lily Evans, and she fell for his worst enemy. He was confused, he liked the feel of this but his mind couldn't or wouldn't let him accept that Lupin would want him. Lupin being male meant nothing Snape had always found himself attracted to both women and men, however he never acted on it with either sex, he was always the outsider so he never let himself risk rejection.

"Lupin… REMUS… STOP!!!" yelled Snape more out of confusion than fear. The wolf within Remus Lupin relented not wanting to hurt, the one it had sought for so very long. Remus gained control and was royally embarrassed though he had to admit to himself that he did like the feel of Severus Snape beneath him.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Severus." Cried Remus as he released Snape. "I've been so tired lately, working a bit too hard, I guess. I miss my cub, so I've been working more so that he'll be able to stay with me sometimes when he returns to the wizarding world. I guess I weakened my control of the wolf. I'm so sorry."

'Of course, he couldn't like me; I'm the greasy git. I'm Snivilous. Why would he care about me, why do I want him too?' thought Snape. "Lupin," Snape said coldly, "Just do your job and get out." With that Snape got up and left the room.

Remus went to work and as he said complete the extermination in twenty minutes. When he was finish he went to look for Snape and found him the kitchen with a half a bottle of Fire whiskey, and about four sheets to the wind. Basically, he was nicely toasted.

"Uh, Severus…" Said Remus as he cautiously entered the kitchen. "I've finished and I need your signature on the work order."

"You need my signachuure? Signatuurrwre. sigh Sure I'll sign." Severus said, he was so drunk. Severus took out a quill from and bottle of ink from a kitchen drawer and signed the work order. "Fine, sure I am is everything. I mean, I am sure everything is fine. What you are waiting for you wacky wolf, get going." Said Severus as he nearly fell off his chair.

"Severus, I'm… I'm sorry. I was aware of everything that was going on but… the wolf can be strong, especially now, this close to the full moon." Said Remus feeling remorseful, but not sure why. He really did like being that close to Severus. He liked the feel of the man. But it was more than that. Even back in their school days, Remus had liked Severus' dry wit, he like the other Marauders thought Severus would have been good addition to the group; after all' Severus was a potion wiz he could have added so much to their pranks. But every time they did as an initiation prank on him, to see if he was Marauder material, always seemed to go so wrong. And Severus would get so angry and in turn James and Sirius would get so angry. Remus never did, after the first few attempts Remus wanted to just be friends with Severus, but the others in the group made him feel like it was Severus or them. And Remus who grew up so lonely as a child because of his werewolf condition just wasn't strong enough to resist the group. So he stayed quiet and let things play out, he never joined them when the pranks were no longer initiations to see if Severus could be a Marauder but were just mean and meant to torment him. Still for some reason he had always felt drawn to the Severus, and now his inner wolf felt… what? He couldn't hazard to guess what the wolf meant by "waited so long" or "mine."

"Fine, apology accepted." Said Severus as he poured a rather large drink of firewhiskey and downed in one go.

"Severus is that drinking really necessary. You'll make yourself sick." Said Remus a worried look on his face.

"Like you care, wolf." Severus got up from his seat and walk over to Remus. "Did you get enough out of humiliating me?" He came closer.

"Severus, please I said I was sorry. I didn't mean it, it was the wolf, I should have been stronger or not even working today, I'm really sorry."

"Sorry? YOU"RE SORRY!" Severus pushed him Remus against the wall.

"Oh well, that makes it all better, the Marauder is sorry. Someone call the Daily Prophet, there's a newsflash."

"Severus…"

"How about we see how you like it." With that Severus kissed Remus hard on the mouth, he forced his tongue into Remus' mouth, and tasted and felt nearly every square inch of Remus' mouth. Remus for his part was shocked and found that he… he liked it. Inside he felt the wolf in him howl and then purr. He felt his arms pull Severus closer, making the kiss deeper more passionate. Severus tasted of firewhiskey, grilled steak and chocolate. For Severus part, Remus too, tasted of Grilled Steak and chocolate, and it was amazing. He didn't want to stop, but small voice kept saying, 'this is a Marauder, he's playing you for a fool again, even your revenge is backfiring.' "Damn you wolf, what are you doing to me.?"

"Severus, I…" Said Remus as he was interrupted.

"Get the hell out of my house, wolf. GET OUT!"

"Severus, please, we need to talk about this…"

"I said GET OUT!" Severus pulled out his wand he had recovered while Remus exterminated the house.

"Okay, Severus, I'll leave but…"

"GO GET OUT!!" Severus shut a stunner just over Remus left shoulder, "The next one won't miss. You have to the count of five." Severus said in a dangerous voice. "One. Two…"

Remus turned to leave he gave one last look at Severus, a look filled with longing and sorrow and then left to floo home.

"Why can I never win against those damn Marauders." Severus said as he collapsed on to the floor. "God he felt and tasted so good." Out of all the Marauders, hell and the people he knew he had always felt something different for Remus Lupin, but him being a part of the group that made it their point in life to make his life miserable, precluded any chance for him to investigate if there could have been anything between them be it friendship or more. Now the events of today, just caused Severus to pass out in a drunken state of confusion.

The Dursleys 

Harry awoke feeling really good, better than he could remember. His stomach was still empty, but otherwise he felt very good. He cold still feel his bird friend with him, somehow, even though he could see him, and knew he wasn't near the house. He could still hear his bird friend's song in the back of his mind if he concentrated and that was comforting. He got up, dressed one of Dudley's gray oversized t-shirts and a pair of Dudley's old shorts which went past Harry's knees, he tied it off with a piece of rope that he used for a belt, and then checked the cupboard door to see if it was locked. It wasn't so he slowly opened he door and looked around. He looked up at the clock and saw it was 8 o'clock. He was a half an hour late his aunt and uncle would be so mad, he feared.

"Boy!" Screeched his aunt. "Get in here and get the dishes done then I want that garden weeded, when you are done, come see me I have more chores for you to do. You have a lot of work to make up for while you taking your little nap."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Harry said as he hurried to the sink to do the dishes.

Petunia watched him. He seemed to be stronger than she could ever remember him being before. His color was a nice healthy pink; many of his past scars were either greatly lightened or just plain gone. She didn't understand what had happened to the boy, so she just chalked it up to his unnaturalness.

Petunia went into the living room, and turned on the telly. She started watching her favorite dramas, something she hadn't really had time for while the boy was in the cupboard ill for those days. But now she could get caught up.

Harry quickly finished the dishes, "Aunt Petunia, I'm going to work in the garden now." He called.

"Good." Was Petunia's only reply.

Harry ran into the garden and started to the work all the while searching for his friend, Abernathy. He finished the garden with no sign of the little snake and it saddened him. Maybe Abernathy wasn't coming back. Harry still had his bird friend, whom he still had to come up with a name for, but Abernathy was still special to him, he really wanted to see the little snake. Besides he couldn't see his bird friend, his friend said that something about the house harmed him, and he would have to wait for years before he could see him again, even though his bird friend still talked to him in dreams. Harry worked for another couple of hours in the garden all the while searching for Abernathy, then he went to the house where Petunia to time to clean the guest room, Dudley's Room and the bathroom. Harry spent the rest of the day cleaning and wondering if he'd ever see his little green friend again.

Diagon Alley 

Mr. Ollivander had just left his shop for the lunch and decided to have lunch in the park just on the edge of Diagon Alley. The park was connected to the Forbidden Forest, through a magical gate that only allowed magical creature through but not witch and wizard or any magical creature with human blood, like werewolves, veelas or vampires though for some reason centaurs could pass through the gate if they meant no harm to humans. The gate also didn't let pass any magical creature that meant to harm a human. Mr. Ollivander went to a secluded area where he could eat quietly and listen to the sounds of nature. The park had many mundane and magical creatures that were protected. A few of the creatures often gave Mr. Ollivander bits of themselves for wands. Most people didn't know that if a magical creature gave a bit of itself for use in a wand freely that the creature would itself get a bit of a power boost from the wizard.

Of course some creatures donations were a bit more stressful to collect, like dragon heartstrings. Dragon heartstrings are can be taken from a dragon if its freely given, the heartstrings grow back, as dragons are reptiles have very good regenerative powers; however, it can be painful to the dragon, and when a dragon is in pain they shoot flame. Many a wand maker has lost his life collecting dragon heartstring. The most powerful wands are made when the animal donating the wand component is healthy. Less powerful wands come from dying animals, and the most dangerous and difficult wands to use are forcibly taken. These wands are good for dark magic but they destroy a bit of the wizard with each use, it's not unusual for a dark wizard to have two wands with a forcibly taken wand for their most dark spells.

Mr. Ollivander sat and ate his tuna salad sandwich and looked around thinking maybe some creature wanted to make a donation today. What most people didn't know about Mr. Ollivander, or in fact most wandmakers is that he was a beast speaker. Beast speakers are like parselmouths are born and they often don't tell anyone but family of their abilities, because like parselmouths it can be thought of as a dark ability. Beast speakers could talk to any animal not just one group. Parselmouths are limited to snakes and snake related animals, some have even managed to become a dragonmouth, but that takes a lot of work, and exposure to dragons. Beast speakers can naturally speak to any magical animal, not to mundane animals.

"_Olly."_

"_who?"_

"_Surely old friend, you remember me."_

"_Fawkes?"_

"_Got it in one." _

"_Fawkes my old friend, where are you. Come to donate another feather? I still have the second wand, so far no one is a match for that one." _

"_Up here, in the tree to your left. See me?_ Ollivander nodded when he spotted Fawkes _Good. I need something from you old."_ Said Fawkes.

"_Anything, but why aren't you with Dumbledore?"_

"_We came to a parting of the ways, that's all I can say about that, as a phoenix I am bound to keep his secrets, much as it pains me, so I can not tell you what I know. I can only say that we have parted, and I asked you not to mention seeing me to him, or mention that I have asked something of you."_ Said Fawkes in soft trills.

"_Worry not my friend, I haven't even told him that I am a beast speaker though I suspects he knows or suspects that I am. So what do you need?" _

"_I need a practice wand."_

_**To be continued.**_

**AN: **Well, sorry about the delay in updating I know I've been naughty, but I like being naughty, things are so much more fun when you shouldn't do them. ;o) I'm going to **_TRY_** and update at least once a month on all stories. So I'm HOPING to update a story next week. No guarantee though, I'm a 42 year old college art major working on my second BA degree, and I have 3 studio art courses that's 2 painting classes and a photography class, also I have 2 art history courses, so my schedule is a bit tight, and unfortunately I have no breaks between classes to work on updates, man I mean I don't even have lunch breaks. Sigh. But I will try to update on weekends provided I don't have a paper or painting due or if I do have a paper or painting due to do it on my breaks. We'll see how that goes.

_**NEXT TIME:**_

Remus start to research the mating habits of werewolves, yes I know he should have done this years ago, but he thought he thought it would just like it is for humans, who knew the wolf would have a say in it. _ALSO_ we get a look into seeing how the spell of hatred that Dumbles has been casting on little Larry is effecting him. _AND_ where oh where has Abernathy gone? _Finally_ why would Fawkes want a practice wand? Find out… **_NEXT TIME!!!_**

Ciao 

_Catwriter_


	6. Chapter 6: Wolves, Birds and the rest

They Lived: Chapter 6

AN: I have not abandoned my Golden Five stories. I know it's been a while since I updated most of them, but I've been busy, in school or sick. Anyway, I'll try to update more stories, before the end of the summer. Sorry I won't be as regular as I like. Disclaimer, I'm not JK Rowling some fabulously rich English woman who now has more money than my family could spend in a life time; therefore I don't own HP and the crew. Damn it.

On with the show

Chapter Six: Wolves, Birds and the rest.

Remus was so confused about his feelings for Severus. He then remembered that he never really researched the mating habits of werewolves before. He figured it didn't matter since the ministry would never allow him children anyway. But now, something was happening and from the way Moony kept saying mine, whenever he thought of Severus, he knew he'd have to research.

Potter Hall

Sirius, James and Lily were the way they always were after Dumbledore cast his spell to make them hate Harry. They enjoyed their time with Larry, and bad mouthed Harry whenever his name got mentioned. They blamed him for the attack, and irrationally blamed Harry for not stopping Voldemort sooner and thus saving lives, even though at the time that Harry stopped voldie he was only 15 months old.

Today they were in the sitting room, playing with Larry, and going through birthday presents from the day before. They were to sort through and decide which Larry would keep, which would go to muggle orphan children and which would go to poor wizarding families. They had been at for four hours now and still they had more than half the pile to go through, when the fire place flared green and Remus Lupin stepped through.

"Remus long time no see, what brings you here?" Said James. "I thought you didn't want to come back here ever."

"Well, I just came…"

"It doesn't matter why you came, Remus, I can tell you that these two missed you. You are a still a marauder and one of their best friends, even if we don't agree on this whole Harry business." Said Lily.

"Look I was just wondering if I could borrow your library, there are somethings I need to research, and you have the best library I know, it's even better than Hogwarts." Said Remus.

"Sure thing, no prob, just help yourself, we got to finish sort out these gifts for Harry, every year there's so many and takes so much time to sort through them. Still it's good for the orphanages and the poor wizarding families, as they get everything that Larry here doesn't want." Said James.

"You aren't sending any of these to Harry?" Asked Remus. He always assumed that the gift were forwarded to Harry, and even if he couldn't be with his family.

"Oh no, we just give them away. The little brat doesn't need this, besides Dumbledore is a busy man, we can't have him playing delivery boy just to get the brat a few presents." Said Lily matter of factly.

"Do you know if anyone is giving him gifts where he's at?" Asked Remus.

"Don't know, don't care. Besides Dumbledore is taking care of him, I'm sure he's fine." Said James.

Remus had to struggle to keep from blowing up at his "friends" how could they care so little about their own son. Still, he couldn't let himself lose his cool now, he needed the information to find out why he felt the way he did about his Severus.

"I'm off to the library, Remus trying to hurry out of there."

"What are researching maybe I can help you find the information you need." Said Lily.

"I'm just researching the mating habits of werewolves." Said Remus. "Something strange is happening and I need to understand what it is."

"You don't need him. Leave it alone Remus." Said Sirius suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Remus said suspiciously.

"You don't need Severus, you're better than him, you can do better than him."

"What the hell do you know?" Growled Remus.

"I just know that you are too good for Snivelius. Leave it alone!" Sirius said his eyes seemed different, distant, struggling, but his voice sounded sure and forceful.

"You know something, don't you?" said Remus.

At this point both James and Lily were looking at Sirius like he suddenly grew a second head. Why did Sirius say 'Severus?' Lily thought. What does this have to do with Remus' research, and his eyes, I know that look. She looked at Remus who gave a knowing nod, he saw it too.

"What do you know? What made you say Severus? Sirius what's going on." Remus demanded. Suddenly a red light hit Sirius and he fell backwards landing on the floor with a solid thud.

"What the hell is going on? Lily, why did you petrify Sirius?" James demanded, as he went to check on his friend.

"Because he is bewitched, someone or something has him under imperius and possibly other spells, Lily and I saw it in his eyes, I decided to keep him occupied while Lily incapacitated him." Remus said as he levitated Sirius from the floor and on to the nearby sofa.

"When would this have happened?" asked James.

"No idea, but lucky for Sirius, your lovely Lily flower is a charms mistress and potion mistress, and I am a defense against the dark arts master, between the two of us we she be able to get him de-spelled." Remus stated.

Lily had stood on the side quietly studying Sirius deciding on a course of action. "Okay, Remus I'm going to do a spell diagnostic charm on Sirius, it's going to be a bit painful, but it should produce a parchment with the list of spells on him." Lily said.

"Good, good, that way we can see what spells or potions need to be counted."

Lily muttered some words under her breath in deep concentrations while doing some rather complicated wand movements. Remus watched intently, while James was caught between worry for his friend Sirius and pride in his wife. Ten minutes of muttering and wand waving later a parchment pop into existence which Remus easily caught, an exhausted Lily sat down in the Lazy boy by the fire, and marshaled her powers for the work that would undoubtedly need to be done to free her friend.

Remus read the parchment

**Curses**

4 _Imperiuses_

8 _Obliviates_

1 _Spell of Malficence_, renewed annually.

Remus whistled while when he read the parchment and passed it to Lily, as she read it James looked over her shoulder.

"What the hell is going on? Who could have put all these spells on Sirius? When did they do it? Why did they do it? Bloody hell!" Exclaimed James in frustration.

"Don't worry James; if we break the Obliviates I'm sure that Sirius will remember who put those curses on him. What worries me though is that last spell, the Spell of Malficence, I've read it somewhere, and I'm just having a bit of trouble remembering where." Said Lily.

"So what are going to do now?" Said a frustrated James.

"As said before , James." Said Lily. "It's a lucky thing for Sirius that I am a charms and potions mistress and Remus is a Defense Against the Dark Arts master, between the two of us we should be able to remove the spells. Plus since all of us are pretty much the same in level of power, and above average in power to boot, we should be able to do it."

"Remus, I think with this many spells on him we're going to have to combine our powers, probably have to add James power too. I think you should be the focus, I know the spells, and all but think your werewolf nature will be able to withstand the physical strain of focusing our combined magic better than I can."

"Agreed." Said Remus

Lily and Remus explained the spell to be used to James in detail, and explained to him that he would have to focus his power on Remus and let Remus cast the spell. James and Lily would provide him with the power. Since there was three them, it would for a triad, Lily would have one hand on James' shoulder the over on Remus', James would have on hand on Lily's shoulder the other on Remus. Remus would do the wand work, and incantations. Lily and James would focus all their power on him. Three is a magically powerful number, so they should be able to break through all the spells. After a few minutes of concentration and meditations to harness their powers for maximum effect, they began.

Remus pointed his wand at the prone body of his friend, who was still petrified on the sofa. He began to mutter words under his breath, and already he was feeling drained, the magic behind some of the spells on his friend was more powerful than any normal wizard should be able to do. Lily and James sensing it draining began to send their power into Remus. Ten minutes into the casting, both Lily and James began to feel the draining that Remus had, still they would not stop, they would not leave their friend spelled. Just as it felt that they couldn't supply anymore power, small dark glowing orbs arose from Sirius' body. Thirteen dark orbs were held suspended above the wizard. Quickly, Remus turn his attention to the orbs and banished them from existence, had they remained they would have attached themselves to someone else, within moments.

Remus used the last of his magic to release Sirius for the body bind, then he and Lily and James collapsed. Sirius slept soundly on the sofa while his friends lay in a heap on the floor in utter exhaustion.

Privet Drive

Harry was working in the garden, it had been a few days since he had healed and Petunia was back to her old self, which of course meant working harry like a house-elf/mule. Still, Harry felt better than he had in a long time. Uncle Vernon was involved in a big project on the job, and had worked many late nights, and was too tired to come home and pick on Harry, which suited the boy just fine. Vernon told Petunia that once the deal went through they would get a new car and have a vacation on the isle of White. The job promised a huge commission and Vernon wanted it badly, besides he found three different ways of getting kickbacks, that made the deal all the sweeter for him. He just had to sell it to the client.

Harry was currently weeding the gardenia bushes near where he first met Abernathy, how he missed the little snake, Abernathy was the only thing that didn't have anything negative or harsh to say about him or to him. He appreciated that so much. While he still had his friend in his mind, whom still had yet to come up with a name for, he still wanted Abernathy, he loved the snakes sense of humor.

"Harry, long time no see." Said a voice.

A huge smile crept on his little his face.

"Abernathy?" he said.

"Who were you expecting, some other snake that knows your name and is willing to come this god forsaken hobble of yours?" Said Abernathy.

Harry smiled, "I missed you. Why did you leave me?"

"I'm sorry I left you Harry, but I had to. I found my mate while I was hunting. Harry, I have some good news and some bad news for you. Which would you like to hear first?"

"I'd like the bad news first then the good news will make feel better." The boy said logically.

"As you wish, Harry, I'm dying." Said the little snake.

"What? But you just got back, you can't leave me. I love you, Abernathy." The boy said in choked sobs.

"Oh Harry, it can't be helped. It's simply my time. But I do have good news. See this bulge in my middle?"

"Yes, I thought you just a nice frog from the pond in the park."

"Well, yea, I did but that bulge is my hatchling. I'm going to have young Harry and I want you to take care of her for me." Said Abernathy, her voice filled with both pride and sadness. Pride at having a child, and sadness at never getting to see that child.

"YOU'RE A GIRL?"

"I thought you knew," said Abernathy dryly.

"With a name like Abernathy, no I didn't."

"Actually the ancestor, I got my name from was female as well, it turned out that her boy couldn't tell the gender of his pet snake so he just decided it was a boy. Harry, I have about three days until I lay my egg. When I do, it will literally be the last thing I do. I want you to take the egg, and keep with you. My mate was a magical snake from Central America, he was a seer. He said that our child will be with you all of its life. He said that the egg will have to stay with you so that your magic can feed the young one strength to grow and develop."

"But what if my relatives find it after it's hatched, they'll kill it for sure." Said Harry.

"They won't find it after it hatches, as I said my mate was a magical snake, and our child will inherit all of his abilities and a few my mate didn't have. One of my mates abilities was the ability to turn invisible, which should protect the young one. Since all snakes are born with the memories of their parents, the young one will know how to turn invisible even before it is born, so there is no need to worry about your relatives finding her."

Harry picked up Abernathy and held her close, it was lucky that Petunia was a long call with an old friend and wasn't paying as close attention to Harry as she usually did. Tears leaked down Harry's cheek as he held his only friend.

"I'm still going to miss you Abernathy, you're my first friend. I'm going to be all alone again, except for the voice, which I think is some sort of bird, but I'm not sure. You though, are here, and I can touch you, I don't … don't want to lose you." He sobbed.

"Harry, sweetie, it's the cycle of life. All life lives but for a time, and then when it is time that life ends, but another is born. I'm a mundane snake, you know, non-magical there was no way I was going to live more than few years before I died, no matter what. Still, I find that I want be around for a while to watch you grow up. Still, I leave you my daughter, who will have all of my memories, and some magical abilities that could help you, and when she is stronger in a few years she'll be able to protect you. Now put me down, and get back to work, I don't want you in trouble, we can talk while you work, like always, okay?"

Harry wiped his tears away, and went back to work, his heart felt like it weighed fifty kilos, and it was so broken, but he worked hard and talked to Abernathy about all the places she'd been while she was gone.

Potter Manor.

The next day James was the first up, having been the one to expend the least amount of energy the night before. He checked to make sure that everyone was well, then summoned a house elf to make breakfast, only to be informed that it was 12:30pm, so James ordered lunch to be served where they were in half an hour, at 1 pm.

Lily awoke ten minutes after James and Remus five minutes after Lily. Remus and Lily both ran scans on serious to make sure that all spell on him were broken, they were. Now it was a matter of waking him up.

"Do you think we should use enverate on him?" Said Remus.

"I don't know if it's safe to use more magic on him just yet, I would prefer for him to wait to 24 hours, to be sure there was no side effects from the magic we used on him." Lily said.

"Waking him not an issue, "James said. At that moment the clock on the mantle struck one and the house-elf appeared with the food. Sirius sat up bolt upright at the first whiff of food, and "Pass me a plate, I'm starved."

James laughed, as did Remus, while Lily just gaped at their friend before shaking her head and getting herself a plate and taking a seat in the recliner, placing her food on the tray table, the elf had given one to everyone in the room. Sirius sat on the same sofa he had slept and ate, with Remus beside him. James sat in the wingback chair eating and laughing at his friend.

"Sirius," Lily said, "do you remember who put all those spells on you?" Said Lily conversationally, but listening for an answer with wrapped attention, as were James and Remus.

"All but three were put on me Peter, the rat." Growled Sirius. "Remus, it appears that Peter and I realized that Snape could be your mate back in fourth year. We did the research and found that on a rare occasion certain werewolves have the ability to evolve into a lycan."

"A lycan? Those are myths."

"What's a lycan," asked James.

"A lycan is a werewolf that has the ability to control the transformation, and to keep their mind when they transform, they can even keep their mind during the full moon. They are also magically very powerful, it's theorized that this is so that they can protect their families from threats from unevolved werewolves, who tend to be very jealous and from wizards, who normally fear them." Sirius said.

"What does this have to do with Snape being my mate?" Remus said.

"Only, everything. See there are three requirements that werewolf must meet before they can evolve into a lycan, the first was having a mate. Peter and I noticed that you seem to be aware of darn near everything that Snape did. We also noticed that Snape wasn't following us around to snitch us out, he was following us around because he was trying to get closer to you. We noticed that we only caught Snape around when you were around, and you yourself told us that you ran into him, when you were alone. Even Snape himself didn't understand, but it was like he was drawn to you. I wondered if it could be that you and he were mates. Peter decided to investigate with me. We thought about bringing James in on it, but Peter said that James was too busy trying to catch the eye of a certain redhead." Sirius said as he winked at Lily who blushed.

"So you never told me, what did you find out, can Remus become a lycan."

"Actually yes, he meets two of the three requirements. The first requirement was that he have a mate, that was Snape, the second was that he was more in control of his wolf instincts, which he is. I've met other werewolves and they let the wolf in them lead them to a more animalistic life, Remus here, is more sophisticated and scholarly than any other werewolf I've ever met. With the exception of the full moon, Remus is always in control of his inner wolf."

"What's the third requirement?" James asked.

"The third requirement is what's difficult." Sirius sighed. "It was because of the third requirement that I nearly didn't want to tell Remus about him and Snape and the lycan possibility."

"What's the third requirement?" Lily queried.

"A cub," Remus whispered.

"He's right, a cub, or more precisely a child." Sirius said as he looked at his friend.

"How are they to have a cub?" James said.

"You see the problem." Remus said sadly.

"But there are potions, which will let wizards have children now." Lily interjected.

"Yes but those potions are only three years old, a recent development. At the time it looked hopeless, plus should some magical miracle happen any child that Remus and Snape had would be born a werewolf, so the ministry would try to terminate the child prenatally. Plus I know that Remus here has a fear of having children and passing the curse on to them. I didn't want to give him false hope, and then I figured there must be a way. I researched more and found that he didn't have to be the actual birth parent of the child."

"What!" Remus said in shock.

"That's right, buddy, you don't have to be the actual birth parent of the child, you and Snape could have no blood tie to it all, and still it could be considered your cub. Ever hear those stories of children lost in the wilderness and raised by wolf packs, that's because a wolf had accepted the human child as it's cub, the same is true for werewolves, the child need not be related to you or Snape, it's just that your inner wolf has to recognize the child as your cub, well, your inner wolf and Snape." Sirius said as he finished the last of his lunch.

Dumbledore Office

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk contemplating what he's been doing with the Potters and to Harry Potter in particular. Albus truly believed that he was what was best for the wizarding world. Under his leadership, he could lead them to greatest and even broker a positive relationship with muggles that would mean that they would no longer have to hide. He also believed that should he die, his changes wouldn't last, he believed that he needed to live forever to insure that wizarding world would grow and thrive. So all that he did, no matter how much he might not like, was 'for the greater good,' so a few would be hurt but in the long run the wizarding world would be remade according to his vision. All this was contingent on his having control of Harry Potter. The Potter family must be investigated, for the boy to be what he is, is almost unimaginable, apparently that attack by Tom had activate dormant genes in the boy. Albus had recognized him for what he was immediately, or at least what he _thought_ he was. The boy's heritage promised the immortality that Dumbledore needed, with the boy under his control, he could get the boy to grant him the immortality that he needed. Yes, he must control Harry Potter; the boy must come to view him as his savior. He has to be the one the boy believes in, the one the boy loves.

Some things about his plan were bothering him though. First was Harry himself, his relatives were a lot more brutal than he intended them to be. It seemed that once or twice something three times a year he had to rush to Durseley residence to rescue Harry before his Uncle killed him. He thought about imperio-ing them to be a little brutal with the boy, but the wards he set up stopped all unforgivable to happening to a resident of the household, so all he could really do was heal the boy and erase their memories.

The thing that was bothering him was his conscience, he actually did like the Potters, Black and Lupin when they were in school, the Marauders were sure to make him laugh with their pranks, and sometimes his job back then really seemed to drain him emotionally, the Marauders were like a breath of fresher when he really needed on more than a few occasions. He actually didn't like making them dislike their own son, but sacrifices have to be made.

The third thing that was bothering was Larry Potter. It was strange the way the boy seemed to crave the spell that last time. He really didn't research the effect the spell would have on younger people, and he was pretty sure there was no research done on the spell being cast on toddlers. Albus was the leader of the light, but what if the spell was destroying young Larry's light before it had a chance to develop, the boy could become a bigger monster than Riddle, and it would be all Albus' fault. Then again, maybe the boy just needs to be weaned off the spell, he probably just needs sometime without the spell being on him. Yes, that's it; he just needs some time without the spell to get a chance to develop his own magic and light. Besides, Albus needs for someone in the family to bond with Harry to give him a vestiture in the wizarding world. The boy would fight if he had something to defend, plus with his upbringing by the Durseleys he would be more than willing to risk his life to save another, after all the Durseleys taught him that everyone and everything was more valuable than he was. Still Albus was worried about his decisions, the fact that Fawkes had left him, meant that he wasn't exactly on the light path anymore. Still, someone has to make the hard decisions, and sacrifices have to made, Albus thought to himself. It's not a real sacrifice if you sacrifice someone else who didn't volunteer, or even knew they were drafted, no that's just betrayal, and the concept seemed to be lost on Dumbledore.

To be continued.

July 3, 2008

AN: I hoped you all like this chapter, I know it had been a long time since I last updated this story, but I wanted to do it. I do have it planned out in my head, it's just I'm having problems getting it to my computer. You know the old saying, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Anyway, some reviews may get me update this story by then end of the month, so if you like or even if you don't like it leave me a review and let me know what you think of it.

Other news… I wanted to update **Obsession, Madness and Love** but upon re-reading chapter 9, I realized that I wanted to change just about everything having to do with Harry. The Puff part of the story is fine, but I didn't incorporate the Hermione, Lupin and the Weaseleys into that chapter the way I want for it work with what I have planned for future chapters. Unfortunately I have a real serious hate for rewriting something that's already been published, and I'm having an issue with updating it, but I can't do the next chapter until I do the update so it's temporarily on hiatus. I have ideas for the next chapter of a Storm in Hogwarts, there's some shockers coming in the next chapter, so if you have me author alert, read that story when you get the email, you will like it if you like X-men and Harry Potter, it's going in a direction no other HP/X-Men crossover has gone before, at that I've seen, and they are among my favs to read. Well, that's it for now. Read and Review and I may update a by the end of the month.

Ciao

catwriter


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